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Indian Express
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
As long power outages continue in Mohali amid intense heat, residents hit out at AAP govt over ‘hollow promises'
Amid extended power cuts, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) senior leader and former MLA N K Sharma joined hundreds of residents, various councillors and traders to lash out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government to unannounced power cuts, saying those who promised free power are today depriving Punjab of power itself. He warned the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) and the state administration that a dharna will be staged at 10 am on Monday, 16 June, outside the PSPCL executive engineer's office in Zirakpur to mark the protest. Sharma said that the AAP government has 'ruined' Punjab's electricity grid by ignoring upgrades, fresh recruitment and routine maintenance, leading to daily unannounced outages across Zirakpur. 'During the Akali-BJP tenure we strengthened the electricity infrastructure and made Punjab a surplus-power state,' he claimed. The former legislator reminded officials that, while in office, he had secured land for new substations at Bhabaat, Dhakoli, Ramgarh Bhudda and Baltana, yet 'this government has done nothing except make hollow promises of free power'. On Friday and Saturday evening, women from Shiva Enclave, Bhabaat, expressed their frustration by sagging overhead lines and surprise shutdowns and sat on the road in protest, blocking traffic for hours. If immediate action is not taken, we will shift the protest to the main highway, and the administration will be responsible, they warned. In G-Block, Aerocity—part of GMADA's 'Singapore-style' smart township, environmentalist Arshleen Ahluwalia reported prolonged low-voltage spells, calling them 'repeated proof of PSPCL's failure.' Residents' association president Kuldeep Singh said power vanished for up to 72 hours several times in the past three months; on 12 June the entire block suffered an eight-hour outage, followed by fresh unannounced cuts. Fellow resident N K Aluna added that ensuring electricity in this searing heat should be the government's top priority. Showroom owners in Phase 10 and Phase 7 complained that erratic supply is crippling business. 'One phase trips here, another trips there. One shop has light, the next is dark. Linemen neither arrive for hours nor answer calls,' they said. Social activist Paramjit Kahlon highlighted voltage fluctuations in Phase 7 that have damaged ACs, refrigerators and TVs. 'It's pathetic,' he noted. 'There are only two linemen for the whole area; without more staff PSPCL cannot resolve problems on time. Immediate recruitment is essential.' According to Sharma, the AAP government is now 'trying to intimidate villagers through PSPCL raids'. He vowed that the Akali Dal's agitation will continue 'until power cuts are stopped, the network is upgraded and adequate staff is hired'. The prolonged crisis, he said, has made life miserable from Zirakpur to Aerocity and Mohali, turning power-surplus Punjab into 'the state of blackouts.' The 16 June demonstration, he added, 'could be the government's litmus test.'
The Print
13-06-2025
- Politics
- The Print
‘Endless' power cuts making life miserable for Punjabis: Congress leader Bajwa
'Endless power cuts are making life hell for Punjabis in this sweltering 44°C heat, yet the @AAPPunjab govt continues its empty boasts of 'uninterrupted supply',' Bajwa said on X. Bajwa, the Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, claimed that the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) was crumbling under financial stress 'exacerbated' by the AAP government's fiscal mismanagement. Chandigarh, Jun 13 (PTI) Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa on Friday alleged that 'endless' power cuts amid soaring temperatures have made life 'hell' for the people of Punjab, yet the ruling AAP was making 'empty claims' of uninterrupted electricity supply. He alleged that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's 'tall promises have collapsed like a house of cards'. In a statement, Bajwa also accused the AAP government of making 'hollow promises while the people of Punjab continue to suffer from frequent and unannounced power cuts'. Bajwa said that despite repeated assurances by the AAP government about ensuring uninterrupted electricity to domestic consumers, farmers, and industries, the ground reality paints a starkly different picture. 'With paddy transplantation already underway across large parts of the state, farmers are struggling to cope with erratic and unreliable power supply. In both urban and rural areas, residents are facing long hours of load shedding. The government, however, continues to indulge in shallow publicity rather than addressing the real crisis,' Bajwa said. He highlighted that temperatures have soared to 44 degrees Celsius in parts of Punjab, intensifying the public's distress. 'In cities like Mohali, sleepless nights and sweltering days have become routine due to frequent outages. The situation in smaller towns and villages is even more dire,' he said. Bajwa also pointed out the 'deteriorating condition' of the PSPCL. 'PSPCL is unable to carry out essential repair work properly, and there is an acute shortage of staff to manage breakdowns. The system is on the brink, and the government remains indifferent,' Bajwa said. 'The AAP government has failed miserably on every front it once promised to reform. Unfortunately, it is the people of Punjab who are paying the price for its incompetence and apathy,' he added. PTI SUN RHL This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Indian Express
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Mohali braves power cuts from 12 to 18 hrs: Residents slam govt's ‘free power' promise
In a severe power crisis, residents of Mohali are reeling under relentless and unannounced electricity cuts lasting from 12 to 18 hours daily. Amid soaring temperatures, the lack of power has turned daily life into a nightmare, especially for the elderly and sick who depend on life-saving equipment like oxygen concentrators. With inverters failing to sustain back-up, and fans and ACs rendered useless, residents have been forced to brave unbearable heat within the four walls of their homes. 'The government promises free electricity, but there's no power at all. These wires now serve only to dry clothes,' said Mayor Amarjit Singh Jeeti Sidhu. 'This government is a complete failure on all fronts.' Councillors and RWAs across the city echoed the frustration. Senior Deputy Mayor Amreek Singh Somal highlighted the staff shortage: 'Only two employees are handling complaints across several sectors like Phase 7, Mataur and Sector 70–71. Transformers have blown, but repairs are delayed due to lack of manpower.' Deputy Mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi warned: 'Many areas face 18-hour blackouts. If this is the situation in the capital region, imagine what must be going on in the rest of Punjab.' Councillor Kamalpreet Singh Bunni said: 'There are just two linemen for areas from Phase 9 to Phase 10. Even after a recent strike, no action was taken. We demand infrastructure upgrades and more personnel.' RWA president Jasbir Singh of Phase 7 submitted a memorandum demanding replacement of old, sagging wires and transformers. Residents like Hargobind Singh, K V Singh, and others reported severe voltage fluctuations and delayed responses despite repeated complaints. 'We've been without power since 2 am,' said 75-year-old Jasjit Kaur and 80-year-old Manmohan Singh. 'Even inverters fail during such long power cuts. No one is responding.' Councillor of Phase 7 Anuradha Anand said, 'I've received over 200 distress calls. I stayed up all night trying to coordinate with officials, but they claim to be busy elsewhere.' Former deputy mayor Manjit Singh Sethi said that Mohali has only six PSPCL staff members managing the entire city. 'I had demanded extra transformers during winter, but nothing happened. The crisis was predictable.' Finance Committee member Jasbir Singh Manku criticised the repeated unscheduled cuts in Phase 11 and called the government's free power promise 'hollow and misleading'. Housing societies Gold Homes, Parkwood and SBP in Kharar's Sector 116 reported similar ordeals. Parvinder Singh Gill and Baljit Singh said that their residents rely on generators for 10 hours a day, burning diesel worth Rs 1.25 lakh monthly. 'Regular power would be far better than 'free' power that doesn't exist,' they said. Sevak Singh, president of the Sector 123 (Airport road) Welfare Association, (New Sunny Enclave), said that electricity supply is highly erratic as it comes for a few hours and then goes off again. Residents are facing a lot of difficulties due to this. Just a couple of days ago, there was a complete power outage for an extended period because the transformer had burned out. Residents of New Chandigarh area too faced the same power cuts. Residents of Zirakpur area of MS Enclave (Dhakoli) and Ravindra Enclave (Baltana) protested against PSPCL over the extended outages. Responding to the crisis, PSPCL Superintending Engineer Sukhjit Singh said, 'The surge in AC usage has increased demand. Short power cuts are necessary to prevent overloading. There's no staff shortage and supply is being managed efficiently.' He urged consumers to declare their actual power load to enable better service delivery. Power cuts at Dera Bassi Civil Hospital created chaos, leaving patients and their attendants struggling in intense heat and humidity. Emergency, OPD, operation theatre, and registration counters plunged into darkness for over an hour, with inverters and generators failing too.
United News of India
11-06-2025
- Business
- United News of India
Notwithstanding Kabir Jayanti holiday, Punjab power demand scales record high
Chandigarh, Jun 11 (UNI) Notwithstanding a government holiday on Wednesday on account of Kabir Jayanti, power demand in Punjab scaled to a record high of 16836 Mega Watt due to sweltering heat coupled with paddy load. The Punjab State Power Corposation Limited (PSPCL) was drawing over 10,243 MW from the northern grid while its own gross generation was 6600 MW. All the thermal units are operating today. Even hydel plants are running, including four Ranjit Sagar units. At the time of record demand, PSPCL's own thermal generation was 2020 MW, and private thermal generation was 3192 MW. PSPCL's hydro generation was 950 MW and solar generation was 395 MW. On Tuesday, Punjab's electricity demand soared to a record-breaking 16,249 MW, surpassing the previous year's peak of 16089 MW recorded on June 29 However, if the current weather pattern persists, the maximum power demand in Punjab could potentially exceed 17000 MW in the coming days. PSPCL claims it is prepared to take additional measures, including importing more power and optimizing local generation, to meet this anticipated demand. The drawing limit from the northern grid is 10400 MW and its own maximum power availability may be around 6600 MW under ideal conditions. On Tuesday, PSPCL supplied 3383 lakh units with maximum demand of 16246 MW. On Monday PSPCL supplied 3295 lakh units with maximum demand of around 15640 MW. After an unusually cool summer in early June, the return of summer heat wave temperature is touching 44 degree celcious and the power demand has started rising sharply for the last three days. The coal stock at thermal plants in the state and power sector is sufficient. Lehra Mohabbat thermal has 21 days of coal stock, Ropar thermal 34 days of coal stock, and Goindwal 28 days stock. In the private sector Rajpura has 31 days stock and Talwandi Sabo 23 days coal stock. The water level in Bhakra Dam is 1555.4 feet, lower by 28 feet as compared to last year's level of 1584.2 feet. At Ranjit Sagar water level is 506.9 metres as compared to 507.20 metres on the corresponding day. UNI GS XC SSP
Indian Express
11-06-2025
- Climate
- Indian Express
Despite holiday, power demand in Punjab scales record high of 16,836 MW
Despite it being a government holiday for Kabir Jayanti and coming just a day after Punjab recorded an all-time high in electricity consumption, the state's power demand scaled another record on Wednesday, reaching 16,836 MW. The surge was driven by sweltering heat and the increased load from ongoing paddy transplantation season. Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) was drawing over 10,243 MW from the northern grid, while its own gross generation was 6,600 MW. All the thermal units are operating on Wednesday. Even hydel plants, including four at the Ranjit Sagar units, are running. Senior PSPCL officials said the lack of pre-monsoon rain showers is putting all the pressure on the groundwater. Lakhs of tubewells are continuously running for at least six-eight hours daily to extract groundwater as the paddy transplanting season is at its peak, they added. Punjab grows the water-guzzling crop over 3 million hectares every year. At the time of the record demand, PSPCL's own thermal power generation was 2,020 MW, and private thermal power generation was 3,192 MW. PSPCL's hydropower generation was 950 MW and solar generation was 395 MW. On Tuesday, the electricity demand soared to a record-breaking 16,249 MW, surpassing the previous year's peak of 16,089 MW, recorded on June 29. However, if the current weather pattern persists, the maximum power demand in the state could potentially exceed 17,000 MW in the coming days. PSPCL claims it is prepared to take additional measures, including buying more power and optimising local generation. The drawing limit from the northern grid is 10,400 MW and its maximum power availability may be around 6,600 MW under ideal conditions. On Tuesday, PSPCL supplied 3,383 lakh units with a maximum demand of 16,249 MW. On Monday PSPCL supplied 3,295 lakh units with a maximum demand of around 15,640 MW. With the return of the summer heatwave after an unusually cool summer in early June, the temperature is touching 44 degrees Celsius in most parts of Punjab, with the highest temperature recorded at Bathinda, at 47.6 degrees Celsius. The power demand has thus started rising sharply over the last three days. The coal stock at the thermal plants in the public and private sectors is sufficient. Lehra Mohabbat has 21 days' stocks, Ropar 34 days' stock, and Goindwal 28 days' stock. In the private sector, Rajpura has 31 days' stock and Talwandi Sabo 23 days' stock. The water level in the Bhakra dam is 1,555.4 ft, which is 28 ft lower than last year's level of 1,584.2 ft. At Ranjit Sagar, the water level is 506.9 m, compared to 507.20 m on the corresponding day last year. IMD warning for Punjab and Haryana The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning regarding the continuation of heatwave to severe heatwave conditions across Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh from June 11 to 14. Maximum temperatures in the southern and western parts of Haryana have ranged between 45 and 47 degrees Celsius, with Sirsa recording the highest temperature–46.2 degrees Celsius. Northern regions of Haryana, including Chandigarh, saw slightly lower but still intense temperatures ranging from 44 to 45 degrees Celsius. In Punjab, the situation is even more severe. Southern and western parts of the state have recorded scorching temperatures between 46 and 48 degrees Celsius, with Bhatinda registering the highest at a blistering 47.6 degrees Celsius. Northern and eastern regions of the state have experienced maximum temperatures between 44 and 46 degrees Celsius. The IMD forecasts that these extreme conditions are likely to persist over the next three days. Isolated pockets in the southwestern districts of both Punjab and Haryana are expected to experience severe heatwave conditions. Temperatures are likely to remain in the 46-48 degrees Celsius range in the southern and southwestern regions, while northern and eastern areas, including Chandigarh, may continue to see temperatures around 44-46 degrees Celsius. There is no significant change expected in maximum temperatures until June 14, after which a slight decline of 2-4 degrees Celsius may occur. Authorities have urged residents to take necessary precautions, stay hydrated, and avoid direct exposure to the sun during peak hours.
