Expect power shortage in summer: Energy minister

Energy Minister Shobha Karandlaje on Wednesday said the State would face a severe shortage of power in summer due to failure of rains.

Addressing mediapersons, she said the State would fall short by about 1,000 MW of power considering the present water level in the hydel reservoirs. Hence, efforts are being made to purchase about 750 MW of power from various sources, she added.

The Linganamakki reservoir has about 70 per cent of water, Supa 61 per cent and Mani 71 per cent. It is almost 50 per cent less compared to last year’s level. The government has, therefore, decided to conserve the available water in these reservoirs for summer, she said.

Besides, the annual maintenance of thermal power stations is taken up between June and December. The second units of Bellary and Raichur Thermal Power Stations and the Udupi thermal plant have been shut down for maintenance. As a result, there is a shortage in power generation, she added.

However, the government has been supplying three phase power for six hours and single phase for 12 hours in rural areas, the minister said and added that load shedding had not been introduced anywhere in the State.

Shobha said the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company has invited tenders to replace the existing aluminium power cables with aerial bunch cables that will be laid underground. It will not only prevent accidents, but also help check power thefts. In the first phase, the cables will be laid for about 3,000 km in the Bescom jurisdiction, she added.

Linemen recruitment

The minister said the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) has initiated the process of recruiting 2,000 linemen and 2,000 junior and assistant engineers.

Besides, all existing posts of gangmen will be filled. Priority will be given to women for the posts of gang men, she added.