Click to play videoNew Delhi: The National Capital has been witnessing high-voltage drama over power shortage. The prolonged outages have sparked an outrage among Delhiites. Facing the worst crisis ever, Delhi has been faced with an average daily shortfall of 500 MW in June - that is a 10 per cent deficit.
The blame-game has now begun between power companies and the state government.
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit says, "This is an unusual year because of the intense heat and the delayed monsoon."
Principal Advisor (Energy) Planning Commission, Surya P Sethi however, says, "The government is also responsible for this crisis."
Delhi privatised power distribution in 2002. Private companies like BSES and NDPL are in charge of buying and distributing power and they now say they cannot buy power at such increased prices.
BSES CEO, Lalit Jalan says, "The generation of electricity was low. Because of a delay in monsoon, less power could be generated at the hydel power station and that's why despite all the power arrangements we had made, it proved to be insufficient."
But Delhi needn't have to depend on outside factors to such an extent. Had the Bawana power plant been operational, it could have generate sufficient power for itself. Work on the plant started almost a decade ago and it was said that the power plant would supply 800-1000 megawatt to the power-stripped city.
Sheila Dikshit defended her government saying, "The Bawana plant is ready but water for power generation has to come form Haryana."
But it isn't just the state government and power companies. The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission - in charge of regulating the buying and distribution of power - has also proved ineffective.
"More investment is required on distribution. The Delhi government should also pitch in with investment," says Surya P Sethi.
The Bawana plant is dry and DERC ineffective and the National Capital seems powerless against the power crisis, but even though power companies say they can't buy any more power, the government on Sunday gave them four days to improve the power supply in Delhi.
(With inputs from Geetika Pokhriyal in New Delhi)
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