The ‘power’ of Telangana set to strike Maharashtra

News pulse, Politics | admin | September 27, 2011 at 2:39 pm

Crippling power cuts, which have of late become rare in Maharashtra, are likely to be reimposed again, especially in rural parts of the state, following the ongoing agitation for a separate state of Telangana.

Maharashtra is currently facing a power shortage of between 2,000 and 2,500 MW, leading state-owned utility, Maharashtra Electricity Distribution Co Ltd (MSEDCL) to consider imposing power cuts. The distribution company has introduced load-shedding of between two-and-a-half and five hours in some cities and between eight to 11 hours in parts of rural Maharashtra. According to Ajit Pawar, deputy chief minister, coal supplies from Andhra Pradesh to thermal power units in Maharashtra including Paras, Bhusawal, Koradi and Chandrapur, have been affected following the ongoing agitation for a separate Telangana state.

Similarly, supplies of about 1,500 MW from the central grid and the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) have been affected following the Telangana agitation and shortage in coal supplies.

About 70,000 employees of the Singareni Collieries in Andhra Pradesh have joined the indefinite ‘people’s strike’ called by the Telangana Joint Action Committee as part of its demand for a separate state.

Singareni Collieries supplies coal to four thermal units in Maharashtra, besides the NTPC power plant in Ramagundam.

A technical fault at NTPC’s Korba plant in Chhattisgarh, caused by a collapsed wall at a fly ash dam, has also resulted in reduced supplies from there.

The state government is now seeking electricity from other sources, including the power trading exchanges.

However, the finances of the state-owned utility are in a precarious condition, with outstanding dues amounting to a hefty Rs72.2 billion.

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