It’s official: Power cut to begin in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Ending all speculations, the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) on Thursday asked the Grid Corporation of Odisha to go ahead with its power cut proposals tentatively from Friday.

The power distribution companies (discos) would go ahead for a power cut officially in the state after getting a confirmation to this effect.

Contacted, OERC member Krusha Chandra Badu said that though it had issued orders for power cut of two hours in urban areas and four hours in rural areas, the public should be informed earlier about the power cut.

As per the OERC order, there will be two hours of load shedding – one hour each in the morning and evening peak – in Bhubaneswar and all district headquarters.

For other urban centres, there will be power cut for three hours – two hours in the morning and one hour in the evening.

Power regulation in rural areas will be for four hours – two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening.

Gridco has been directed to restrict the load to power intensive industries in high tension categories by 25 per cent.

However, there will be no power regulation for vital establishments such as hospitals, railways and water supply units.

The Public Health and Rural Water Supply organisations at the local level will be informed about power cut in advance for timely operation of pump houses and supply of water to the people.

The order stated that the duration of power cut can be reduced during High School and Secondary Board examinations.

Uninterrupted power supply has to be ensured during important festivals such as Rath Yatra, Dussera and Sital Sasthi, it added.

The Commission has also directed the Government to issue instructions for closure of shops and other commercial establishment after 8.30 PM.

There should be no power supply to hoardings in urban areas from 6 PM to 11 PM.

The OERC has also asked the industrial houses to reduce their consumption by 25 per cent failing which it would penalize them three times of their actual tariff charges.

It may be mentioned that the erratic monsoon this year has forced Gridco to incur a loss to the tune of Rs 900 crore for purchasing power from different sources at a higher cost.

While the state needs nearly 3,100 MW per day, it is now able to arrange power of about 1900 MW.

It also asked the industrial houses and other concerns to use CFL bulbs to minimize power consumption.