SRINAGAR: With a prolonged dry spell leading to the reduction in the water level of the water bodies across Kashmir, the Kashmir-based powerhouses have started to generate less electricity, prompting the administration to go ahead with power curtailment.
Pertinently, August and September—2023 have recorded deficient rainfall while the hot and humid weather conditions continued for weeks together, breaking the decades-old record in the month of September.
The hot and humid weather conditions resulted in a reduction in water level in the famous water bodies including river Jhelum, Chena, Doodh Ganga, and others following which the people complained of water scarcity in their areas.
However, with the passage of time, consumers across the Valley have been complaining of erratic power supply, demanding authorities to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to the people.
Chief Engineer, of Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL), Javed Yousuf Dar said that the department has resorted to power curtailment in view of the less power generation at the powerhouses of the valley in the wake of the reduction in water level of river Jhelum, Chenab, and other water bodies.
He said that besides the less power generation, the temperature has plummeted, which as a result has increased the demand for electricity, thus promoting the KPDCL to go for power curtailment. “We are trying to ensure less curtailment in the areas where smart meters have been installed,” he added.
The Chief Engineer further said that the availability of electricity from outside is too low, but the government is trying to arrange more electricity and hopefully, in the coming days, the situation will improve.
It is worth mentioning that two weeks ago, the water level in river Jhelum was recorded at a 70-year low due to the prolonged dry spell in Jammu and Kashmir.
The prolonged dry spell ended on Sunday when the upper reaches of Gulmarg and other areas received fresh snowfall and the rains lashed the plains across J&K, which also led to a decrease in maximum temperature.
