Odisha set to experience power cuts soon

BHUBANESWAR: With water level in major reservoirs fast declining due to scanty rainfall, Odisha government today decided to go for power cut ranging from one hour to several in a day across the state, official sources said.

"We have to go for load shedding in view of the declining water level in major reservoirs, mostly in southern Odisha. The distribution companies will soon announce the time and duration of power cuts in their respective regions," Energy Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra told reporters.

Mohapatra pointed out that the water level in Indravati dam has fallen by 50 per cent while it declined to 40 per cent in Balimela and Upper Kolab.

Odisha used to generate about 1,000 MW of power from hydro sector, the Energy Secretary said.

While requirement of the state is about 3500 MW during normal period, it demanded at least 4,000 MW in the peak hours, Mohapatra said adding that the state faces shortage of about 500 MW of electricity every day.

"In order to manage with the available electricity, we have to go for load shedding," he said.

This apart, Mohapatra said the availability from thermal sector in the state has also declined as some units of NTPC and TTPS were under maintenance.

Sources said while Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri each will witness a declared one-hour power cuts in a day, other urban areas across the state will face a minimum two-hour power failure.

However rural areas are likely to be the worst sufferers as the duration may exceed to several hours, they said.