Indian cricket fans, for sure, are not happy with the performance of Dravid & Co, but major cities in the country are breathing a sigh of relief due to the steep fall in power consumption following their first-round exit. Electricity consumption in the beginning of the peak summer season has shown a marked drop after India failed to qualify for the second round, officials at state electricity boards said.
“In Mumbai, which has around 35 lakh electricity consumers, the television usage along with lights, fans and air-conditioners, would have accounted for an additional 200MW if they were to watch cricket during the peak hours of 6-10 pm. After India’s defeat, it has shown a remarkable drop in consumption. Even with the drop, we are expecting that electricity shortage in Mumbai to be around 500MW this summer,” an official with the Maharashtra State Electricity Board said.
The officials said viewers tend to switch on additional lights, fans and air-conditioners during cricket matches, pushing up electricity consumption. Besides, most hotels had arranged for special screenings of the India matches. “There is no specific study on the use of television during the cricket season, but it is sure cricket contributes its mite to the daily consumption,” said an industry analyst. Mumbai’s electricity consumption during this summer is seen at 2,700MW, while Delhi is likely to consume 4,000-4,500MW. At present, Mumbai is getting 2,200MW and the power utilities are in talks with NTPC and various state governments to bridge the gap.
Meanwhile, the three power utilities — Tata Power (TPC), Reliance Energy (REL) and BEST — along with the state’s energy regulator, MERC have launched a media campaign to enlighten consumers. Separately, REL has joined hands with Bajaj Electricals to has been distributing CFL lamps at 25 different locations in its distribution areas across Mumbai.
“In Mumbai, which has around 35 lakh electricity consumers, the television usage along with lights, fans and air-conditioners, would have accounted for an additional 200MW if they were to watch cricket during the peak hours of 6-10 pm. After India’s defeat, it has shown a remarkable drop in consumption. Even with the drop, we are expecting that electricity shortage in Mumbai to be around 500MW this summer,” an official with the Maharashtra State Electricity Board said.
The officials said viewers tend to switch on additional lights, fans and air-conditioners during cricket matches, pushing up electricity consumption. Besides, most hotels had arranged for special screenings of the India matches. “There is no specific study on the use of television during the cricket season, but it is sure cricket contributes its mite to the daily consumption,” said an industry analyst. Mumbai’s electricity consumption during this summer is seen at 2,700MW, while Delhi is likely to consume 4,000-4,500MW. At present, Mumbai is getting 2,200MW and the power utilities are in talks with NTPC and various state governments to bridge the gap.
Meanwhile, the three power utilities — Tata Power (TPC), Reliance Energy (REL) and BEST — along with the state’s energy regulator, MERC have launched a media campaign to enlighten consumers. Separately, REL has joined hands with Bajaj Electricals to has been distributing CFL lamps at 25 different locations in its distribution areas across Mumbai.
