Electricity Department appeals for judicious consumption of power Use minimal lights; switch off all non-required gadgets

Port Blair, Feb 7

    The Electricity Department is carrying out a load shedding of about 45 minutes to 1 hour during evening peak hours in Port Blair & South Andaman area due to power shortage of around 8 MW. Besides this, additional power cuts are also experienced by the residents due to outage of DG Sets during day time for maintenance purpose. The existing DG Sets are old and are prone for frequent breakdown. 

     The Superintending Engineer, Electricity Department, in a prèss release received here today has stated that the Govt. of India as well as the Administration of the UT of A&N Islands have decided to phase out DG Sets completely, hence no new proposal is there to add more DG sets in these Islands. However, for long term solution, the Administration is in a process of establishing a Gas based Power Plant of 50 MW which will be set up at Hope Town. 

  Apart from this, there is also a proposal for establishing 15 MW Power Plant having a Dual Fuel Engine generator at Phoenix Bay Power House Complex under Grant-in-Aid by Japan International Cooperation Agency. Both these power plants will however be established during next 3-4 years.

    Meanwhile, to cope up with the growing power demand and to meet the present power demand, the Electricity Department has proposed for Short term Procurement of Power through hiring of DG Sets of the order of 10 MW and 05 MW during the current Financial Year till any big Power plant is established. 

     The Electricity Department has appealed to all the residents of Port Blair and South Andaman to consume power judiciously by using minimal lights and switch off all non-required lights, fans & other electrical gadgets. The use of Electric Irons, Refrigerators, Mixer / Grinder, Microwave Oven   and Air Conditioners etc. may strictly be avoided during evening peak hours. Further all the Hoteliers and big consumers who are having their own standby DG Sets are requested to run their DG Sets during evening peak hours and help the Electricity Department to minimise the load shedding. The staff of respective site office shall also visit all the Hotels & Commercial establish-ments to request for this in person.

     The Electricity Department shall inform the residents of Port Blair & South Andaman when the power position is stabilized, the release added.