Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Mar 1: Karnataka is well-prepared to handle the surge in electricity demand this summer, with no plans for load shedding, energy minister K J George confirmed on Friday.
Following a high-level review meeting with senior officials, the minister stated that the state’s power consumption has seen a significant rise, touching 19,000 MW. Despite this increased demand, the government has ensured sufficient supply to meet the needs of households, industries, and farmers.
"Karnataka's power demand has witnessed an unprecedented increase over the past two months. However, we have taken all necessary steps to maintain uninterrupted supply across sectors," George said. He further noted that the rise in consumption is a sign of the state’s economic growth.
The government has assured seven hours of power daily for agricultural pump sets, while domestic and industrial consumers will continue to receive round-the-clock electricity. Compared to last year, the demand has risen significantly—from 16,214 MW on February 27, 2023, to 17,874 MW on the same day this year. Officials affirmed that this increase is being effectively managed.
Additional Chief Secretary of the Energy Department, Gaurav Gupta, confirmed that proactive measures have been taken to ensure uninterrupted power until June. The state’s power generation sources include 3,300 MW from KPCL thermal plants, 2,000 MW from hydropower, 6,655 MW from solar, and 1,940 MW from wind energy. Karnataka is also drawing power from the central grid and has exchange agreements with Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, ensuring a stable supply.
To further bolster the power supply, Karnataka will procure an additional 310 MW starting March 1, with daily purchases ranging from 100 to 1,275 MW based on demand. The state is also investing in energy storage solutions, including pumped storage projects in Sharavathi (2,000 MW), Varahi (1,600 MW), and Pavagada (1,000 MW), along with a 2,000 MW battery storage project at Ryapte.
Recognizing challenges in power transmission, the government is prioritizing a link-line system to balance electricity distribution across substations. Additionally, 100 new substations are planned for the current financial year to enhance transmission capacity.
Under the ‘Niranthara Jyothi’ scheme, single-phase power is provided at night for rural households and farmhouses. However, misuse of converters for running agricultural pump sets during single-phase supply has led to power disruptions. Minister George urged farmers to avoid such practices to prevent outages.
Senior officials, including KPTCL MD Pankaj Kumar Pandey and BESCOM MD Dr N Shivashankar, were present at the review meeting.