State-run power distributor MSEDCL has prepared a plan to reduce power cuts to the minimum on October 13 - the polling day - in the
state. The plan will be submitted to the Election Commission (EC) for consideration. Meanwhile, the request of district administration notwithstanding, several areas of the city are experiencing scheduled power cuts without any relief.
"We have listed several options in the proposal, and plan of action will be as directed by the EC as the consumers will have to pay the price in one way or the other. The options include increasing running hydel generation at full capacity all day, buying large amount of costly power from private traders and energy exchanges, etc," a senior MSEDCL officer said.
The officer explained that, as of now, hydel generation was increased only during evening hours. If it's to be run at full capacity from the morning, then an additional 1,000 MW to 1,300 MW power could be available during morning and afternoon. MSEDCL was purchasing costly power only during peak powers but this can be done from morning to evening, if the EC desires.
MSEDCL could also ask the Union power ministry to allocate extra power to the state. But given the shortage scenario prevailing in the country, there does not seem to be much chance of relief from that front. The officer said that if the government seriously implements the Labour Commissioner's orders that shops, theatres, offices, etc give a holiday to their employees on polling day, then most commercial establishments will remain closed. This will automatically bring down the demand.
Replying to the demand of the Nagpur district administration that no load-shedding be done till October 13 as it was hampering election work, the officer said that even though MSEDCL understood the problems caused due to power cuts, the fact was that the duration of load-shedding was decided by the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC). Second, there is a shortfall between power availability and demand. "District administration has no role to play in deciding the duration of load shedding," he said.