Power crisis continues in Lakhimpur

 A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: Extreme power crisis still continues in Lakhimpur, the district which every year has to bear and tolerate the massive flood havoc with loss of life and properties, caused by the additional water discharged from the catchment areas of three river dam projects like Ranganadi Hydro Electric Plant, located at Yazali of Arunachal Pradesh, Pare (Dikrong) Hydro Electric Project, located at Doinukh of the same neighbouring State, (both are operated by NEEPCO) and Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project, located at Gerukamukh and operated by NHPC Limited.

The power crisis on Friday resulted in massive protest programmes with burning of effigy of Power Minister Nandita Garlosa in the district, demonstrated by various organizations like All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and Asomiya Yuva Mancha (AYM). The protesting organizations slammed the government for its miserable failure to ensure normal supply of power despite its poll promise of supplying the same for twenty four hours across the State.

On Saturday, the North Lakhimpur Electrical Sub-Division, as per information from an official source, received only 19MW electricity as result of which load shedding continues. This load is still very much lower than the peak hours demand in the Sub-Division. However, rainy weather gave relieve to the public on the day though there was power shortage. It is known that the North Lakhimpur Electrical Sub-Division could manage to supply the 19MW power on Saturday because of rainy weather only, not for the supply from Grid Station.

On the other hand, Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) expressed that the power crisis would remain in next few days, despite the public harassment and adverse effects on the businesses in the district. According to APDCL, electricity is not available to buy in market currently to ensure the normal supply to its consumers, which is a matter of serious concern.

In this regard, a statement, issued by APDCL, North Lakhimpur Electrical Sub-Division, on Friday night said, “The load shedding has increased very much since yesterday. This is because of energy production rate has been drastically reduced across the country over the past few days. Energy distribution company, like APDCL in the country, take help of a platform called Indian Energy Exchange to purchase electricity from energy producing companies. In common language, this is a market to sell and buy electricity. Hence the energy generating companies sell their own generated electricity and the electricity distributors like us buy from them. Currently there is no electricity to buy in this market, that is why APDCL is able to buy very little electricity as compared to the total demand of APDCL. As a result, load shedding has been imposed to our valuable consumers. We have been informed that this situation will remain in next few days.”

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