Date:27/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/27/stories/2008042758910300.htm

New Delhi

Power situation remains grim

Staff Reporter

Under-frequency reported 54 times

NEW DELHI: There was no let-up in the power situation in the Capital on Saturday as under-frequency was reported 54 times till late afternoon.

Despite an agreement by the member-States of the Northern Region Power Committee to maintain grid discipline, many of them continued to overdraw power from the Northern Grid.

Power Department officials said Delhi was the only State that did not overdraw power. As such, frequency at grid dipping below 49 Hz forced outages in the city. In some areas the outages lasted a couple of hours.

A power cut was also caused in the Sabzi Mandi and Gopalpur areas when an unauthorised construction caused a flash in the line carrying power between Mandola and Gopalpur. Among the areas where power cuts were reported were Mayur Vihar Phase I, Phase II, Anand Vihar, South Extension and Okhla.

Some hope

Power Department officials, however, expressed hope that with more water available for hydro-power generation, the situation would improve.

“The current crisis will soon be over as there has been an increase in the hydro-power generation. So an additional 500 MW power for the region will ensure that the grid frequency is stabilised,” they reasoned. On Saturday when the maximum load was 3,094 MW at 3-58 p.m., Delhi’s own generation stood at 1,218 MW, said officials.