Switch to night shifts, help save energy: Shobha

Offers rate cut to industries prepared to go nocturnal

Industries should start production at night to prevent nearly 15 per cent of energy generated from getting pumped into the central grid, she said at a workshop on ‘Energy efficiency dissemination,’ organised by the Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association (Kassia) and Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) on Saturday.

“I request all the industrialists coming under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company and Mangalore Electricity Supply Company limits to start night shifts. Also, we are exploring the possibilities of supplying power at a cheaper cost,” she said.

On the power woes and efforts to mitigate the problem, Shobha said the situation next summer would be different from the previous years, as the energy sector had taken steps to bridge the gap between demand and supply of power.

“We have made plans to check power crisis during summer this year. Even if we begin hydel power generation to full capacity from January, we can generate 40 million units of power every day to meet peak-hour demands,” she said.

Referring to the INSAT 3A technology that enables monitoring of every unit of power supplied and consumed through the click of a mouse, Karandlaje said there could be no more “mischief” in the energy sector.

Power pact

Assuring industrialists and the general public of adequate power supply till May, she said the State had already entered into an agreement to procure at least 1,000 MW of power.
“Our thermal power plants are functioning well. A power purchase agreement with the Udupi Power Corporation Limited has made a capacity addition of about 500 MW to the State grid since the last fortnight,” the minister said.

She called on people to use CFLs and LEDs in houses and workplaces to lessen power consumption. Earlier, Kassia president S S Biradar drew attention to trade licence which has been made mandatory by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike.

This move of the BBMP is a nuisance, as industries are already overburdened with other licences to be obtained from the Palike, he observed.

“Moreover, the Palike has threatened to disconnect power supply to those who do not have a licence,” said Biradar.

However, the minister said such a move was unlikely as the power to disconnect electricity was vested with the energy sector.