Brace up for power outages Delhi, Rajasthan and UP. State-run generators seeking their pound of flesh!

Residents of Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand have to be prepared for power outages as state-run generators have asked discoms to clear the dues at the earliest.

The state run power generators are threatening to cut off supplies unless discoms pay up Rs 20,000-crore outstanding bills. Around 80% of the dues are owed by these northern and eastern states and likely to face maximum number of power cuts.

The electricity demand has increased due to deficient and sweltering heat in most parts of the country so much so that farmers’ power demand touched 1.5 lakh mega watt last week.

Although farmers get power either free or heavily subsidised rates, but payments to the power generators becomes uncertain because the utilities apparently do not have the money to pay this bill.

In Delhi, reportedly, BSES Rajdhani Power and BSES Yamuna Power have outstanding dues of about Rs 1,600 crore.

They owe money to central power generators such as National Hydro Power Corporation, Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam, Tehri Hydro Development Corporation, Nuclear Power Corporation of India and Power Grid Corporation of India.

Dues of power distributors in Jammu &Kashmir are over Rs 2,700 crore while Rajasthan-based utilities owe about Rs 1,000 crore to generators.

Among the power generators, Damodar Valley Corporation has the biggest outstanding dues of Rs 8,769 crore and Jharkhand is the biggest defaulter.

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