GUWAHATI, Oct 5 - No shortfall in power supply is apprehended during the puja festival this time. The Assam Power Distribution Company Ltd (APDCL) is gearing up to meet the power demands during the festive season, said sources in the APDCL.
However, due to the maintenance shutdown undergone by its sub-stations, disruption in power supply in many areas is occurring these days.
The 132-Kv Narengi Sub-station in the city underwent one such shutdown between 5-30 am and 10-30 am on Sunday. It affected power supply in a vast area between Chandrapur and Silpukhuri and a part of the RG Baruah Road for five hours.
Though such shutdowns in the major sub-stations are notified through the media, the shutdowns in the minor ones are not notified in the media, but through public notices issued at the APDCL offices, sources said.
The APDCL had to arrange about 200 MW of power from bilateral sources or from the energy exchange since September 29 last due to the total shutdown undergone by the 728 MW gas-based Palatana Thermal Power Station in Tripura for maintenance of its pipeline.
A 364-MW Palatana unit resumed today and from it the State was getting 90 MW to 100 MW of power this evening. Another Palatana unit of the same installed capacity is expected to be operational by October 15. This is also expected to supply the State around 120 MW of power, sources said.
The current off-peak-load-hour (6 am to 6 pm) power demand of the State is around 1,000 MW and during peak-load-hour (6pm to 11 pm) it shoots up to 1300 MW or 1350 MW. During the puja season, it is expected to shoot up to around 1100 MW during the off-peak-load-hour and to around 1400-MW during the peak-load-hour, sources said.
