Discoms devise ways to meet power demand

Jaipur: With demand for electricity increasing rapidly, the gap between demand and supply is widening. The Government’s concern has doubled with the festive season round the corner. Now, officials of the energy department have started arranging for purchase of additional power of about 2,180 MW. The supply of coal from PEKB Chhattisgarh mine has stopped amid rising demand for electricity. This has reduced nine rakes of coal per day to Rajasthan Vidyut Utpadan Nigam. Due to this the total coal received by the corporation has come down by 40 per cent. This has increased the concern of the officers of the department. Principal Secretary and Chairman of Energy Department, Discoms Bhaskar A Sawant said that in view of the slowing down of monsoon and the increase in temperature, the demand for electricity in the state is likely to increase in October. The increased demand is becoming a challenge as the coal supply from the PEKB Chhattisgarh mine has been stopped due to a local agitation there. In the meeting of the energy department, many important decisions have been taken to provide smooth power supply to the consumers of the state.