No power cut during exams: DKS

Energy Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday said the State government will take steps to ensure that there is no power disruption during the examination season.

Speaking to reporters in Bangalore, Shivakumar said the storage levels in reservoirs were good and he anticipated no serious power shortage during summer. Besides, if required, power could be purchased from neighbouring states, he said. The present gap between demand and supply was around 15 per cent, he added.

Replying to queries, Shivakumar said the State government will request the Centre to give it captive coal mine for its new power project from a nearby State instead of the one allotted in West Bengal. The minister said it was practically difficult to transport the coal from pits in West Bengal to power project sites in the State. The Centre had recently alloted captive coal mine in Deocha-Pachmi block, Birbhum coalfield, West Bengal for power projects in the State.

He said the State has sought that the Centre consider its plea when it takes up reallocation of 69 captive coal mines. Shivakumar said he has sought time with Prime Minister Manhoman Singh to put forward the State’s proposal. He said power generation from the third unit of the Bellary Thermal Power Plant and Yermaras in Raichur would commence in December this year.

Shivakumar said legislators would soon get information on the status of power supply in their jurisdictional taluks via SMS.