The Maharashtra government is all set to buy expensive power from neighbouring states to overcome the present crisis even as the power sector regulator has called a public hearing on February 15 on the excessive loadshedding in the state.
Formal decision in this regard is expected on Tuesday when the state cabinet meets. “Chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has given his consent to go ahead and buy power at whatever cost,” a top government official told ET. Mr Deshmukh on Monday--the day the state reported as many as 27 agitations against power utility officials--held an emergency meet find out ways to face the power crisis.
As reported by ET on Monday, though the state government was willing to buy additional power to bridge a huge divide of 5,700 mw between demand and supply, a section of the government was against procuring expensive power. Andhra Pradesh has offered its surplus power to Maharashtra at Rs 8.30 per unit.
“If we don’t take every possible measure to cut down the load shedding, the people will not spare us,” Mr Deshmukh is believed to have said in today’s meet. Some of the areas in the state have been witnessing power cuts for as long as 16 hours a day.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) on Monday issued notices to all concerned for a public hearing on February 15 to discuss the power utilities proposal for additional load shedding.
The Maharashtra Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has approached the MERC for approving the increase in the duration of load shedding across the state. It has proposed to increase the load shedding by one hour in urban and industrial zones and by two hours in agriculture dominated and other regions. In addition, MSEDCL has introduced an additional stagger-ing day for industrial users.
The regulator has called for suggestions and objections which will be heard on February 15.
Formal decision in this regard is expected on Tuesday when the state cabinet meets. “Chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has given his consent to go ahead and buy power at whatever cost,” a top government official told ET. Mr Deshmukh on Monday--the day the state reported as many as 27 agitations against power utility officials--held an emergency meet find out ways to face the power crisis.
As reported by ET on Monday, though the state government was willing to buy additional power to bridge a huge divide of 5,700 mw between demand and supply, a section of the government was against procuring expensive power. Andhra Pradesh has offered its surplus power to Maharashtra at Rs 8.30 per unit.
“If we don’t take every possible measure to cut down the load shedding, the people will not spare us,” Mr Deshmukh is believed to have said in today’s meet. Some of the areas in the state have been witnessing power cuts for as long as 16 hours a day.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) on Monday issued notices to all concerned for a public hearing on February 15 to discuss the power utilities proposal for additional load shedding.
The Maharashtra Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has approached the MERC for approving the increase in the duration of load shedding across the state. It has proposed to increase the load shedding by one hour in urban and industrial zones and by two hours in agriculture dominated and other regions. In addition, MSEDCL has introduced an additional stagger-ing day for industrial users.
The regulator has called for suggestions and objections which will be heard on February 15.
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