Punjab’s power crisis deepened further today with the state’s power generation being badly affected as the only functional unit in Talwandi Sabo Thermal Power Plant (TSPL) developing a snag and forced to reduce its generation by 185 MW.
This pushed the state on the edge as unscheduled power cuts were reported from across the Malwa region. Across the state, people took to the streets, gheraoed the power stations and offices of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), demanding that power supply be restored.
Already one unit (660 MW) of TSPL has remained non functional since March 8, while a second unit (660 MW) developed a snag on Sunday and has not yet been operationalised. Sources said that this plant developed a fault in its turbine, while it was being started yesterday, after being repaired for boiler leakage. “It may take quite some time to repair the plant,” said a senior officer in PSPCL.
Across the state, harried people have been protesting against the erratic power supply as the delayed monsoon has led to an unprecedented power demand of an average of 14500 MW. In Maur, people gheraoed the office of SDO from noon yesterday till post midnight, demanding that the defunct 10 KVA transformers be replaced. Since the PSPCL is facing a shortage of material, the officers pleaded with the protestors to give them time. It was only after 10 other officers reached the protest venue and settled the matter with the villagers that the protest was called off.
Similar incidents have also been reported from Karamgarh and Aspal Kalan villages of Barnala, where hundreds of angry people laid seige to power substations demanding restoration of power supply on rural domestic consumers. In another village, Rajia, announcements were made from the village gurudwara to gather and gherao the power department office after there was no power supply for eight hours.
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/punjab-power-crisis-worsens-as-talwandi-sabo-plant-further-reduces-generation-279452