PDD finalizes Darkness schedule for Kashmir Valley

9-hr cut in non-metered areas; 5-hr cut in metered areas

Amid the chilly winter conditions, Kashmir will be facing nine-hour power cut in non-metered areas and up to five-hour cut in metered areas as per the new curtailment schedule finalized by the Power Development Department (PDD).
These cuts would be in addition to the prolonged and unscheduled powers breaks that the consumers in both the categories would have to bear with.

Sources told Kashmir Post that as per the scheduled for the winter the non-metered areas would be subjected to around 63 hours power cuts a week and the metered areas would be facing up to 35 hours cut a week.
The curtailment in metered areas is against the norms where the department is bound to provide round-the-clock power supply.
“The schedule is already in implementation,” said an official of the PDD. “We have informed the government about it and sought approval for its publication.”

As per the schedule the metered areas would have one and a half hours break in power supply between 5 am to 10 am, 10 to 5 pm and 5 pm to 11 pm every day. The consumers in non-metered areas, as per the schedule, would face three hour cut from 5am to 8 am once a week, five hours cut everyday from 8 am to 1 pm/1 pm to 6 pm: four hour cut twice a week from 6 pm to 10 pm and seven hour cut from 10 pm to 5 am twice a week.
However the department has come under criticism for resorting to frequent unscheduled cuts and not sticking to its schedule. In Kashmir the PDD has over 7.4 lakh consumer base in domestic category and has a load agreement of around 650-MW particularly during evening hours.
“But against this load agreement the PDD gets a demand of around 1600-MW and we supply around 1200-MW energy during the evening hours, which is double the load agreement. That is where the problem lies. The injudicious use of power particularly for heating purpose puts load on the entire system forcing the department to go for additional cuts,” asserted the official.
The PDD is launching a campaign through its amnesty scheme to create awareness about judicious use of the power which the department argues would help in reliable power supply.