Electricity utilities warned of ‘ consequences’ over excuses for loadshedding Delhi govt to power firms: Ensure non- stop supply

The Delhi government has instructed the city’s power distribution companies to ensure uninterrupted power supply and warned them of “serious consequences” if they resort to “unreasonable excuses” for load shedding during the forthcoming summer season.

The city government told the discoms to take all possible measures to ensure that people do not suffer due to power cuts especially during summer, and also instructed them to prominently publicise their helpline numbers so that consumers are not put to any inconvenience in lodging complaints.

The AAP government’s move comes after reports of load shedding by discoms in different parts of the capital, particularly in slums and JJ clusters. The city’s power department has issued a written direc- tion to the CEOs of all the three power distribution companies — Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited ( TPDDL), and Reliance owned BSES Rajdhani and BSES Yamuna.

“The department has directed discoms to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply across the city with immediate effect,” said a senior official, adding the warning was issued on the direction of the power minister Satyendra Jain.

The government also said that a serious view will be taken by the power department in case the discoms resort to unreasonable excuses for load shedding. “Discoms should ensure that consumer helpline numbers are active and these should be adequately reinforced to meet additional calls being received from consumers in the current scenario,” the department has stated.

Power distribution utilities have also been direct- ed that in case there are valid and justifiable reasons for load shedding, then “It should be ensured that such load shedding at any level of shortage does not exceed one hour at a stretch and should be strictly on rotational basis in different areas and not only in slums and JJ clusters.”

The department has also directed the discoms to widely advertise in advance — through different forms of media — in case they have to resort to load shedding and “any failure to strictly comply with these directions will lead to serious consequences”. Besides, the discoms have been directed to present contingency plans for rotational load shedding at different levels of shortage. Several areas in the city usually suffer electricity outages for up to three hours due to collapse of transmission network owing to increase in power demand.