Now Reading: Karnataka adds 3,000 MW as summer power cuts persist
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Karnataka adds 3,000 MW as summer power cuts persist
Karnataka has scaled up power supply by more than 3,000 MW to meet rising demand, even as complaints of power cuts continue from Bengaluru and other districts. Energy Department officials said the additional power comes from thermal generation, central grid procurement and independent power producers.
Power demand on 30 September was 298 million units, down from 340 MU in mid-September, which an official attributed to recent rains. Consumers, however, reported frequent outages, with some facing cuts of four hours or more daily. Residents in HAL, Rajajinagar and Belagavi said they rely on generators or inverters.
Energy Minister K.J. George said on 1 October that the state is prepared for summer demand and is exploring power procurement from Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana. Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta said from 1 November, 1,000 MW will return as northern states repay borrowed power, and another 230 MW is being taken in advance. The state is also building battery storage capacity of 500 MW/1,000 MWh through KPTCL.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The government's 3,000 MW supply increase has not stopped daily blackouts in Bengaluru and Belagavi, exposing a gap between system-level readiness and last-mile delivery. Consumers describe outages of two to four hours, often blamed on maintenance, while the minister rules out load-shedding. The mismatch matters because 30% demand growth driven by El Niño will persist into summer, and the state's plan to recover 1,000 MW from northern states in November is a one-off, not a structural fix. Battery storage projects of 500 MW/1,000 MWh remain under implementation, meaning no near-term relief from that source.
Source: thehindu.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Methodology and corrections.
