Bengaluru: While Chief Minister H.D. Kumarswamy said on Thursday that there will no load shedding without his permission, Bescom and Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) have stated that the state is facing a severe shortage of coal and if the situation continues, there might be load shedding in the coming months.
Though the people fear that the coal shortage could lead to severe power crisis, the government has said that it will use its hydel and solar sources to bridge the gap.
A senior Bescom officer said, “We can’t say anything about load shedding now. We should check how much power is being generated at various plants in the state and what the deficit is. The shortage of coal supply has hit us and we hope that the government will resolve the issue in two weeks. Otherwise, Bengaluru too will have to face load shedding.”
He said, “Load shedding has already begun in Bengaluru Rural areas to cover the deficit of 200 mega watts per day. Bescom limits need around 4,200 mw per day, while the load dispatching centre has 4,000 mw available. We are saved by the solar power generated at the plant in Pavagada.”
But KPTCL was sure that the city will not face load shedding for another month. “But if coal supply hits other plants in the state then nothing can be done and we will have to resort to load shedding of two hours or more per day. We are already tapping hydel sources and using the power generated from the Pavagada plant to the fullest. For now, this is helping us run the show. We are closely monitoring the situation and once the coal supply becomes normal, there will no load shedding anywhere in the state. But nothing can be confirmed for now,” said a senior officer.
“The state government is already looking at the option of importing coal from neighbouring countries and if possible even buy power,” he said.
