Bangalore: Power Cut Unlikely this Summer, says Shobha

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Dec 31: With summer not far away, the State Government is pretty confident that Karnataka may not have to resort to power cuts this year.

However, Energy Minister Shobha Karandlaje has thrown in a caveat: The State Government may be helpless in the event of a major breakdown in the power generation units.

Speaking to reporters on the eve of the New Year, she said the current demand for power is 163 million units against the availability of 175 million units in the State and the Government is confident of meeting the shortfall.

With sufficient storage of water in reservoirs, there would not be problem in the generation of hydel power in the State, she said.

The minister pointed out that the State was presently generating about 45 million units of hydel power daily.

To activate the hydel power generation, she said functioning of one unit at the Raichur Thermal Power Station would be suspended for a few days.

The Minister said the Government anticipated no constraints in meeting power demand, expected to touch 180 million units daily in coming summer, as hydel reservoirs have adequate storage.

She said the State Government held a meeting with managements of sugar factories on

Friday and they assured the availability of 400 MW.

But managements of the sugar mills have been demanding Rs. 5.50 per unit supplied to the State grid.

The Government has decided to pay Rs. 5.06 per unit. The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) too has been opposing payment of Rs. 5.50 per unit for sugar factories, Ms Karandlaje said.

2000 Linemen, 292 Engineers to be recruited

The Energy Department has decided to recruit 2,000 linemen and 292 engineers to fill existing vacancies, Shobha Karandlaje said adding that the last date for submission of application for linemen posts is January 11, 2012.

Now there is only one linesman for two gram panchayats for taking up repair works of power supply companies. Shortage of staff has severely affected repair and maintenance work of power utilities, she said.

As of now, Bangalore Electricity Supply Company would recruit 580 linemen, 346 in Mangalore Electricity Supply Company, 567 in Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company, 187 by Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Company and 85 by KPTCL. A few candidates would be recruited by other companies, she said.

Already the department has received 1.82 lakh applications and recruitment would be made on marks obtained in exams conducted by the ITI and physical test. There would be no personal interviews. Existing reservation quota would be followed, she said.

She appealed to candidates not to approach middlemen for jobs. The Government would seek the help of Crime Branch to check “middlemen” cheating job seekers in the ongoing recruitment by its energy supply companies. Touts have become active, promising jobs in return for monetary consideration, she said.

The department would recruit another 2500 linemen in the next phase after obtaining approval from the Finance Department.

A total of 282 engineers would be recruited for filling vacancies of junior engineer and assistant engineers in Karnataka Power Corporation Limited, the agency involved in generation of power.

Already written test has been conducted and selected candidates wouldbe called for interviews, she said.