The electricity department has geared up to supply power round the clock to 2.46 lakh agriculture pump sets in the erstwhile undivided district from December 31, in the night. It has acquired all necessary infrastructure and is confident of meeting the challenges successfully.
The department estimated that, on an average, the expected demand would be 350 mw towards January-February, and would go up to 700-750 mw in the peak season.
Agriculture will consume 9 to 10 million units per day accounting for 60 per cent of the total consumption. The remaining sectors will need 40 per cent. Though authorities carried out the campaign to convince farmers for the removal of auto-starters last month, they have postponed the campaign for the time being. They will conduct awareness camps in January, while supplying power for 24 hours. The NPDCL Superintending Engineer C. Prabhakar says that around 60 to 70 per cent pump sets have auto-starters and some farmers, who have more than one pump set are reluctant to remove them as they feel it convenient to have them at different places. However, if the auto-starters are not removed and the motors used excessively, it would cause enormous loss to ground water and power, he adds.
“24-hour supply is good but farmers need to have discipline to utilise it. Right now, they want to have six hours supply in morning and six hours in the night. Otherwise, They wanted 9 hours of continuous supply. To my mind, six hours in the morning and six hours in the night is the best way out,” he said.
The authorities feel that the intricacies and problems in the operation in giving 24 hour supply could come to the fore after 15 days. However the problems can easily be tackled given the infrastructure and staff, they say.
Since the Government was determined to give 24- hour supply and made arrangements to the extent that, even if there is difference between generation and demand, it would go ahead with effective action plans. “The fact remains that it will take another 2 years to gain self-sufficiency in the power generation,” said Mr. Prabhakar.
As yasangi has just started and paddy is being transplanted, the farm sector is using just 25 to 30 per cent power at present. The electricity staff has been on high alert in the load and line maintenance attending problems as they crop up, at all the 308 33/11 kv sub-stations in the old district.
