24-hour power in Noida, Ghaziabad but pay more

Consumers can save on cost of diesel-run generators

For residents of Noida, Ghaziabad and other Uttar Pradesh towns neighbouring the Capital, power woes may soon be a thing of the past. Noida and Ghaziabad may get 24-hour power supply as well.

According to officials, the government has begun work on a project hinged on differential tariffs for the two cities. This will be linked to the paying capacity of consumers and enable in providing round-the-clock power supply.

The proposal may be sent to the UP Electricity Regulatory Commission for consideration, said Anil Kumar Gupta, industrial and infrastructure development commissioner.

Based on suggestions by residents’ welfare associations, Gupta said he has directed power officials to work on a roadmap to provide power to residents, groups and districts based on their needs — if they are ready to pay more. The Uttar Pradesh Power Corp Pvt Ltd (UPPCL) is working out the possibilities.

Currently, UPPCL charges Rs 3 per unit from domestic consumers. RWAs are ready to pay Rs 5 to Rs 6, which will help in reducing extra cost that goes into running diesel-powered generators.

“In such heat, giving a few rupees more is the last thing on our mind. If we get uninterrupted power by paying more, why not?” said Sudhir Srivastava, president of Shipra Suncity Phase-2 RWA in Ghaziabad.

Noida and Ghaziabad each consume 500 MW of electricity daily, and recent fluctuations in Anpara, Paricha and Harduaganj had led to outages of over 16 to 17 hours a day. “Most plants have lowered their output due to heat, so load-shedding is the only option,” said a power official.

Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has also been informed of the bad power situation in the region. UPPCL is facing an outstanding due of Rs 10,000 crore as the former Bahujan Samaj Party government had bought power worth Rs 2,000 crore but had failed to clear the bills.

This led to an additional burden for UPPCL.

The UP Transformer Industries Forum, an umbrella group of over 200 companies, has threatened to stop supply of transformers to UPPCL. The power corporation is also trying to find ways to raise Rs 17,000 crore from defaulters.