Heavy Load Shedding: An Unsolved Mystery

Heavy Load Shedding: An Unsolved Mystery

29 October 2009

The public has been greatly inconvenienced by the frequent load shedding for the past few days. The load shedding is probably because, in a bid to save money, the state government has stopped purchasing expensive electricity from private companies. The state government is currently on a tight budget because of the recent floods in North Karnataka.

The load shedding began almost immediately after Power Minister Eswarappa promised that there would be no more load shedding because the state had ample electricity.

The officials concerned have failed to provide appropriate answers to reporters’ queries. On the contrary, each department blames the other. MESCOM pointed a finger at KPTCL and said that they are not providing electricity. KPTCL officers said that the hydro electricity plants in Raichur have stopped functioning, owing to which there is shortage of power. The officers in Raichur claim that they had decided to commence repair work on the 4 power units there because the demand for electricity had gone down.

But if there was no demand for electricity, and if it was available in surplus, there would have been no need for load shedding. Even if the 4 units at Raichur stopped functioning, Karnataka would have faced a shortage of only 20 percent of power. Such heavy load shedding was not required to make up such a small loss.

The officials are quiet, unable to solve the mystery.