Pre monsoon showers brings relief, Power demand decreases in Punjab
GAGANDEEP AHUJA
Tuesday, 30 June 2009
PATIALA : Thanks to the rain that lashed the state, the power situation has improved in the state and the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) has given 14 hours powers supply to agricultural sector to ease the paddy plantation in the state.

The demand of power has considerably decreased by over 250 lac units after rain has lashed in the state since last night. Official sources pegged the demand today around 1750 lac units as compared to 1983 on yesterday. The power cuts has been reduced to only 1 hours in urban domestic areas.

Notably, the water level in reservoirs of hydel plants, which had been lower last week as compared to the same period last year, has also risen.

Official Sources said that PSEB would now start getting 800 Mw of power from July 1 from various power companies like Adani Power (175 Mw), Lanco (200 Mw), JSW (200 Mw), PTC (174 Mw) and Molana Power Plant (81 Mw).

Sources said that PSEB has managed to save 40 lakh units from the banning of ACs, changing office timing and the board has supplied entire 40 lakh units to induction furnaces to run their units for 10 hours per day.

Meanwhile the dry spell and heat wave ended with a good note on Monday night when pre monsoon cheered the people Patiala and surrounding areas.

The rain has brought down the high temperature and relief to the farmers who were facing difficulty in cultivating paddy crop. It is expected that rain would continue for the next days.