Electricity supply in state out of gear

HYDERABAD: The state is likely to experience more power cuts in the coming days as production is coming down by the day while demand is going up with rising temperatures. Hydel plants are unable to produce enough power due to lack of sufficient rains and production has come down at gas-base units too.As a result, the government has resorted to imposing power cuts this year much earlier than usual.According to official sources, the demand for power is 289 million units on March 2, but production is only 253 million units.There is a deficit of 35 million units.The demand is high during daytime, touching around 12,886 mw, while discoms are able to supply only 11,486 mw, leaving a deficit of around 1,400 mw, forcing power cuts on some agricultural feeders.There was only 33 tmc of live water storage in Srisailam reservoir, while there is no generation at all at Nagarjuna Sagar.Officials say seven hours power supply is being given to the agricultural sector only under 22 feeders out of the 1,232 feeders since August last year.NTPC-Simhadri power station in Visakhapatnam district is generating around 1,400 mw power per a day against the capacity of 1.500 mw, while there is no hydel power generation due to lack of water.Expected power demand will be 289 million units this month against the expected availability of 250 million units.Lack of adequate preparation on the part of the government is said to be responsible for the present situation.