GoI sponsored project meant to reduce power losses in Kashmir abandoned halfway

SRINAGAR: A project that was meant for reducing transmission and distribution (T&D) losses which is one of the main reasons for power cuts in the Valley has failed to take off three years after the stipulated deadline.
The Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms program (RAPDRP) sponsored by the Government of India was meant install new electric transformers, erect electric polls and insulated wires for removing T&D losses. As per estimates, close to 50 percent of power distributed to households is lost because of transmission and distribution losses.
“It was one of the best schemes for improving power supply but it could not be completed because the company that was doing the work went bankrupt in the middle of the project. It had to wind up,” an official who is part of the project told Kashmir Reader.
He said that the Power Development Department (PDD) has now issued fresh tenders for the completing the works.
“Some companies have shown interest and we examining them,” he added.
Power cuts in winter occur due to loss of power through technical losses and power theft.
“RAPDRP was started in 2014 and was meant to complete in 2016. It is three years now, but only 20 percent work is done. Nothing can be said about its completion,” he added.
Srinagar and parts of Baramulla, Ganderbal, Pulwama, and Budgam were identified for the project initially because their better infrastructure will also have cascading effect on left out areas for better power supply.
This time, the department manages to cut power supply for several hours in a day. Metered areas face more than six hours of power cut whereasn non-metered areas have to bear more than eight hours power cuts in the current schedule for meeting the requirement of 1900 MWs against supply of mere 1250 MWs.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.