Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Oct 1: As the demand for power in the state has reached unparalleled heights, the government is forced to resort to temporary load shedding in the state.

While Bangalore will face a two-hour load shedding daily, rural places will have to brace up for six to eight hours of power cuts on daily basis. Giving this information at a press conference here on Tuesday September 30, energy minister K S Eshwarappa informed that this is a temporary measure. Depending on the demand for power and generation levels, the cuts will be withdrawn in course of time when the position improves, he assured.

Reservoir level at Linganamakki is 20% less than that of the last year. This has affected power generation. Although all the thermal power units of Raichur have been working, it has not been able to meet the entire power requirements of the state at present, the minister said.

There is a demand for 115 million units of power daily, the highest ever. Because of this, the government is compelled to resort to load shedding measures, he explained. The minister also revealed that the government proposes to buy power from private companies to meet a part of the 1,400 mega watts shortage it is faced with.

"A 1,400 mw capacity power plant is proposed to be set up in Bijapur district. As permission of the union government is required for the same, a delegation will be taken to New Delhi soon to try to convince the authorities concerned about the need to set it up soon," Eshwarappa stated.