Power Picture Looks Dark in Karnataka As Rates Go Higher

By siliconindia | Wednesday, 09 September 2015, 12:37 Hrs

BANGALORE: The extended drought and technical glitches have resulted in severe power cut all across Karnataka and it seems that the state has to embrace darkness for some time.

The city of Bangalore might be grappling with the shortage of power but the citizens have taken the issue, humorously. The social media is filled with sarcastic and funny pictures depicting the present condition of power shortage. The dark humor has however helped the city to tussle with the circumstances, reports TOI.

The ongoing power crisis has been blamed upon the poor monsoon and the transmission limitations in the state. "Currently, north India is stuck with surplus power production, but the southern states that are grappling with supply shortage are unable to use or buy it because they do not have the transmission capacity or power corridor,'' said Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Minister of State with Independent Charge for Power said after a meeting with Karnataka Power Minister, D K Shivakumar, reports Hindu.

The sources revealed that purchase of power on the power exchange has scored sky high rates between Rs 6.70 and Rs 8.50 per unit, illustrating an unstable position for BESCOM. BESCOM has reached a position where it is under heaps of expenses and cannot buy power available in open markets.

BESCOM statistics revealed that the state purchased power worth 1002 Cr and 1082 Cr in the month of June and July respectively.

“We haven't fixed any ceiling for power purchase. If the KERC approves, then power can be purchased,“ said Chief Secretary for the energy department P Ravi Kumar.

According to MP Shobha Karandlaje, Energy Minister during the BJP tenure, there is a provision to make prior booking for power corridor which is done is every state. The Chief Minister and the Energy Minister should coordinate to overcome the present situation, she said.

“We expect one unit of Ballari Thermal Power Station and the secondary unit of Udupi Power Corporation Limited to restart production soon. Once this happens, we should be reasonably safe, “ said Ravi Kumar.