From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Mar 27: Was it the cricket fever with the World Cup Semi-final match between India and Australia at Sydney on Thursday leading to cricket crazy consumers to switch on their TV sets?

Or, perhaps, was it the soaring summer heat with parts of Karnataka hitting a temperature of above 35 degree Celsius, with the State’s capital of Bengaluru recording a temperature of 36 to 38 degree Celsius and Raichur, Gulbarga and other northern parts of State going upto 40 degree Celsius causing the domestic, commercial and industrial energy consumers being forced to switch on fans, coolers and air-conditioners?

Well, one does not know. But what is evident is that the power consumption in the State touched an all-time high record of 212 million units in Karnataka on Thursday

Karnataka’s Energy Minister D K Shivakumar told reporters in Bengaluru on Friday that electricity consumption shot up from the normal 205 MUs to 212 MUs on Thursday, which was obviously owing to the World Cup Cricket match or perhaps both factors.

To meet the demand, the generation from hydro projects increased from 9100 MW to 9459 MW, the minister said.

Despite registration of a case against the coal firm EMTA, the State Government has decided to engage the firm to supply coal from Chandrapura in Maharashtra to Ballari Thermal Power Corporation Limited (BPTCL) ensure regular generation of power.

Making a statement in the Legislative Assembly on Friday, Minister for Energy D K Shivakumar said the Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) would engage EMTA for the next nine months or till fixation of a new agency, to supply coal from Maharashtra to BTPCL.

The CBI has registered a FIR against EMTA and others in the coal block allocation scam on March 19, 2015

The joint venture company, Karnataka EMTA Coal Mine Limited was formed in September 2002 with KPCL having 26 per cent stake in it. An agreement between KPTCL and EMTA would get expired on March 31, 2015.

As per the Centre’s coal ordinance, the State Government has the right to fix new agency for management of coal or continue with the existing firm.

But the Centre has not yet come out with guidelines on fixation of new agency. Hence, it was decided to continue the agreement with EMTA till the new tenders called to fix agency, Shivakumar said.

The supply of coal would enable BPTCL-I to generate 500 MW a day, he said.