Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar has said, his ministry is prepared to handle the possible power crisis in the coming summer. Tenders have been floated for buying power from sugar factories and other sources so that the increasing demand can be met in the coming days, he told presspersons here on Saturday.
At present, the State has infrastructural capacity to generate 14,000 MW power. However, only 6,000 MW is being generated. “We are making all efforts to meet the demand, which is about 8,000 MW,” he said.
The thermal power generating units could not generate power to their full capacity owing to problems in the procurement coal. “Chattisgarh thermal unit is also facing the same problem. Karnataka has bought some land in that State for starting a unit there. We have submitted a proposal to the Union government seeking to run the unit jointly. Land is ours and the Union government has to provide coal. I hope it works out,” he said.
Besides, possibilities of bringing down the quantity of power being consumed by irrigation pump-sets were being explored. In some places, power was being utilised for 20 hours a day, while in many other places, it was being used for only six hours. This would soon be streamlined, he said.
‘At present, 6,000 MW power is being generated out of 14,000-MW capacity of energy generating units in State’
Public support essential for starting thermal power units: Energy Minister
