Despite Smart Metering, 24×7 supply remains dream
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Apr 26: The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is facing worst ever power crisis for the past about two weeks while the Jammuites have been forced to face the brunt of about 12-14 hours unscheduled power cuts during these scorching hot summer days.
The promise of 24×7 electricity supply with the Smart Metering has been dashed to the ground as the areas where these meters have been stalled, are also facing the same crisis in Jammu and Srinagar Cities. The situation has gone from bad to worse with in just one week as the UT Administration has failed to manage the crisis and provide some relief to the consumers who are made to pay through their nose the hefty power bills after installation of Smart/Electronic Power Meters on the street poles.
The rising public anger against the Government, is forcing them to come out on the lanes and roads and lodge their protest, demanding some relief during these hot summer days as lakhs of people have been made to spend sleepless nights in the open due to this power crisis. Moreover, water supply has been badly hit in entire J&K. Rural areas are the worst hit.
click here to watch video
Not only in Jammu region, the people in Kashmir are also agitating against the Government for its apparent inability to cope up with the situation. Even the members of trade and industry today came out openly against the Government and pleaded to provide some relief. The Industry is also facing production losses worth crores with the afresh unscheduled curtailment.
Official sources told the Excelsior that as against the peak demand of power to the tune of 1300 MW in Jammu region, just 700 MW is being provided at present by the Government while Kashmir region is getting 1000 MW against the demand of 1700 MW of electricity supply. So, against the total power demand of 3000 MW in J&K UT, the Government is providing hardly around 1700 MW of power supply.
The sources have indicated that in coming days, the supply position may turn more grim in J&K UT as the State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC), has given afresh instructions to Power authorities in J&K this evening to maintain supply position in Jammu to the level of 600 MW instead of 700 MW for few days and in Kashmir instead of 1100 MW to 900 MW.
Giving more details, the sources said that out of the installed capacity of 1211 MW power generation in State sector, the available generation at present due to low water discharge from even major projects like Baglihar, Lower Jhelum and Upper Sindh- I and II, is around 478 MW. From Central Sector including power projects like Uri, Dul Hasti, Salal etc, the power generation at present is 1371 MW out of total installed capacity of 2009 MW. Out of the Central share, J&K is entitled to just 12 % of the share that is 12 % of 1371 which comes out to be nearly 165 MW. Therefore, the total power available to J&K from installed capacity is just peanut, 478+165 MW=643 MW. Against the total demand of 3000 MW, its own generation and share is just 643 MW while rest 2357 MW is needed to be imported from Northern Grid.
Giving revenue figures from Kashmir and Jammu regions of the last three years, the sources said during 2021-2022, Jammu region consumed 6989 Million Units (MUs) of power and generated revenue of Rs 1690 crores while Kashmir region consumed about 11000 MUs of power and collected a revenue of just Rs 1290 crores; during 2020-21, Jammu generated a revenue of Rs 1500 crores after consuming 5832 MUs of power while Kashmir generated Rs 1145 crores after consuming 9984 MUs of power. Similarly, during 2019-20, Jammu region consumed 5000 MUs and generated a revenue of Rs 1350 crores while Kashmir generated a revenue of just Rs 894 crores and consumed 9251 MUs of power.
As per the official data, in Kashmir the over all AT &C losses are nearly 70% (69.84 %) while in Jammu it is nearly 52%. The data further revealed that JPDCL during 2021-22 billed only 62% (4356 MUs out of 6989 MUs) of its energy supplied to the consumers, which indicates its billing efficiency as 62%. Moreover, it recovered 3310 MUs, which indicate that its collection efficiency was to the tune of 76.33 %. Kashmir Power Development Corporation billed only 34 % of its energy it supplied to the consumers during the same period, so its billing efficiency remained 34 %. Out of the 3363 MUs power billed, it recovered revenue for 2959 MUs, while it had actually supplied 11000 MUs, claiming collection efficiency 88.56 per cent.
The data indicated that Kashmir consumes nearly double the energy than Jammu and also bills just 34% of that to its consumers and incurs AT & C losses to nearly 70 %, still continued to get large chunk of electricity to further burden the exchequer despite the fact that Jammu needs much power supply due to hot summer season. Whereas, Jammu consumes nearly half of the energy in comparison to Kashmir and bills 65% of its consumers and with a recovery rate / collection efficiency of 76%, accordingly the AT&C loss is 52% of the JPDCL, while revenue collection is also much more.
Anil Sharma, president All Jammu Kashmir Panchayat Conference said that for the last two weeks the power supply position is Jammu has broken all the old records. He said in rural belt of Jammu region, hardly 10-12 hour power is being supplied. He said with this, water supply system has totally collapsed. The Government has planned to install 6 lakh Smart Meters in J&K UT. Over, 26000 Smart Meters said to have been installed in Jammu City so far as against 14,000 in Srinagar. What is the fun of installing such meters if you are unable to provide power. This is total mockery of the system. The UT Administration has failed to provide power and water to the public. He said that Sarpanchs planned to hold massive protest in Jammu in few days.
A social activist, Mir Ghulam Rasool from Ganderbal in Kashmir alleged that due to worst power supply position, not only studies of the children but water supply has also been badly affected. He said that entire Kashmir is facing acute shortage of power. Due to 12-14 hours power cuts, there is no relief to the people.
Moreover, development works and industry has also been badly suffering. Government must purchase power from Central pool if it is unable to get its proper share from J&K power projects.
Chief Engineer, PDD/ JPDCL Jammu, Sandeep Seth when contacted said that due to shortage of power supply from the Northern Grid, the J&K has also been affected. He said J&K is getting hardly 60% of the total supply of power normally being received. The things are expected to improve after the water flow in rivers improves in mid of May or June. He said the coal supply from abroad has been stalled due to war and power generation in India has been hit. J&K is dependent mainly on the power supply from outside. Not only J&K, some other States are also affected. He claimed that due to shortage of power in Industrial area also four hours curtailment has been imposed. He refused to issue schedule for power curtailment due to fluctuation of power supply from the Northern Grid.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
