Karnataka: Energy Minister D K Shivakumar promises uninterrupted supply to cities
Bengaluru: While Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar has made a tall promise of bringing uninterrupted power supply to cities and at least seven hours of three-phase electricity to the rural areas to power the pumpsets, critics feel that the minister has his one eye on the upcoming taluk and zilla panchayat elections scheduled for February. Depending on the results of the elections, the minister’s promises too might change, they warned.
“The state is well prepared for its power requirements for the summer. We have added 1000 megawatts of hydel power since Friday and there will be no more power cuts in Bengaluru. Staggering of holidays for industries will continue and 24-hour power supply will be provided to Niranthra Jyothi Yojana (NJY) feeders. As a whole, we will see that in future, there will be no power disruptions. As there was a long drought and because Karnataka has been solely dependent on hydel power generation, we faced a shortage of more than 1,500 megawatt of hydel power. But now we have managed to purchase power at Rs 5.08, which is very high, and I think until May we will be comfortable. But in May the rains have to come,” Mr Shivakumar told Deccan Chronicle.
On Saturday, the minister commissioned the new Yelahanka Puttenahalli station, which boasts of new technology – ‘covered conductors’, imported from Sweden.
“With the one of its kind in the entire country, the covered conductor technology at Yelahanka Puttenahalli project, will not only cover our existing losses of Rs 65 crore, but will also help us make an annual savings of Rs 16.41 crore,” he said.
Residents in and around Yelahanka will no longer experience power cuts because of the power station, located at D.G. Plant near the Rail Wheel & Axle Factory.
The station will provide reliable power to areas in and around Attur, Sahakaranagara, Yelahanka, KHB Colony, Yelahanka and Rajankunte, and also Extra High Tension Consumers, like Rail Wheel Factory and Federal-Mogul Goetze India Ltd.
The station will address the need for uninterrupted power supply to fast growing areas of Yelahanka and D.B. Pura Road. Load-shedding will be avoided as there will be reliable power supply to sub-stations of Attur-Yelahanka, KHB Yelahanka, Sahakarnagar, Soladevanahalli, Federal Mogul, Rail Wheel Factory, Kanaswadi, Rajankunte, Manyatha Tech Park, Saffal Market (Konadasapura), Grindwell Norton, Bell Ceramics, and HBR Layout.
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