Bengaluru: With bypolls to three Lok Sabha and two Assembly constituencies scheduled next weekend, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Thursday took steps to ensure continuous supply of power despite a shortage of 200-400 MW every evening.
While seeking to downplay the demand-supply gap at the end of a meeting with heads of all ESCOMS, the Chief Minister explained to the media the government's strategy to draw energy from alternative sources to bridge this gap and thus avoid dark hours in the evening and night (5 PM-10 PM). He, however, spoke of acute shortage of coal in thermal power plants as compared with the stockpile last year, adding "I don't want to criticize anyone or politicize the issue. I am only presenting facts (shortage of 20 per cent when compared with figures of last year). The government has decided to float global tender for purchase of five tonnes of coal beginning early next year even as it was constantly reminding Union energy and railway ministers about the need for immediate supply of coal.
Mr Kumaraswamy said in view of shortage of coal, the state government was walking the tight rope by overcoming scarcity with the help of solar and wind energy. Besides, hydro electric plants were not being run to full potential in order to conserve water for next summer, he added.
