Orissa power situation continues to be grim

Bhubaneswar, July 4 : The power situation in Orissa is grim as the state is receiving less electricity than it requires, says state Energy Minister Atanu Sabyasachi.

"The power situation is grim. We are still getting inadequate power from different sources," Sabyasachi told IANS.

"We need 2,900-3,000 MW during peak hours daily and 2,400-2,500 MW during non-peak hours but we are getting only about 1,800-1,900 MW since past few days," he said.

The shortage is due to outage at a few thermal plants as well as lower generation at hydel projects in the state, the minister said, adding: "If we do not get adequate rain in the next seven-eight days, the situation will worsen."

Since June 21, the state government has been reducing power supply to industries up to 50 percent to deal with the shortage.

"Now we have also restricted the trading of power by private power producers," Sabyasachi said.

While many villages across the state are going without power for several hours a day for the past two weeks, urban areas including state capital Bhubaneswar and Cuttack are reeling under load shedding.

"Life is horrible here without electricity," Raghunath Mohapatra, a resident of Bhubaneswar, said.

"Children are not able to do their home work in the evening as the power cut in our area is between 7.30 p.m. and 8.30 p.m.," Mohapatra said.

He said some areas of the city are reeling under four-hour power outages a day.

--IANS