Lockdown brings electricity consumption down by 45%

LUCKNOW: The lockdown has brought down power consumption in Lucknow by almost 45%.

The officials of Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) attribute it to closure of government offices, factories, business establishments, hotels, restaurants, malls, cinema halls, auditoriums, shops and markets.

They, however, fear this may cause a huge financial loss to Lucknow Electricity Supply Administration (LESA).

“Going by the figures of previous years the maximum demand in March was between 1200 MW to 1300 MW a day. However, amid lockdown, the demand this year in the same period is hovering between 550 to 650 MW,” said Madhukar Varma, general manager (GM), Cis-Gomti, LESA.

The cause in reduction of demand is mainly due to lockdown and the delayed onset of summers,” he added.

“If the demand of electricity doesn’t increase as per estimates, then we will purchase less electricity from the powergenerating companies,” said an official of Madhyanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited.

The power demand on March 19 was 610 MW, which dipped to 508 MW on March 22, after that it kept rotating between 550 MW to 590 MW.

Chief engineer LESA Trans Gomti Pradeep Kakkar said, “People mostly do not acknowledge the contribution of power staff whenever country faces crisis.

Our staff is ensuring 24X7 power supply despite so many obstacles due to lockdown. They need to be applauded because when everyone is sitting inside their homes fearing the virus,

they are risking their lives and attending every complaint on time. Not only that they are maintaining the substations and power lines even in the remote areas of city.”

Chairman UP State Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad Avadhesh Kumar Varma said: “In case residents are not able to come out of their houses to lodge complaint they can tweet on twitter handle @uprvup or they can write on facebook page of upbhokta parishad. Their complaint would be taken up by the parishad with the concern authorities.”

Praising the power corporation staff, Varma said, “They are attending the complaints despite the risk and we must understand their problems and acknowledge their efforts.”