Industries in Maha asked to save power by 10-12 pc

PUNE: Despite the current power crunch in Maharashtra, there was no need for a second staggering day for industry in the state, state energy minister Dilip Valse Patil said today.

He, however, asked industrial sector to save their power consumption by 10/12 per cent to avoid more staggering days.

Patil who spoke to reporters on the sidelines of a function attended by Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar here, said the state had floated long term power purchase tenders in its bid to get additional power from outside Maharashtra to tide over the deficit of about 6,500 MW.

The minister said he was optimistic of meeting the growing electricity needs of the state by way of procuring additional power, as well as power conservation and proper load management. The availability of power from the Dabhol plant was also expected to ease the problem, he added.

In the private sector the power projects of Reliance, Jindal and Tatas were progressing well, Patil noted.