Karnataka : Sugarcane farmers in Mandya may get additional power for pump sets
Energy Minister K.J. George directed officials to ensure uninterrupted power supply in Mandya district and propose an additional two hours of electricity for sugarcane farmers. With a 30% rise in irrigation, power demand is expected to reach 1,000 MW by March. He also reviewed the Kusum-C solar project to ensure consistent daytime power supply.
Minister for Energy K.J. George on Tuesday instructed his department officials to develop a plan to prevent disruption in electricity supply during summer. He also asked the officials to send a proposal for providing an additional two hours of power for sugarcane farmers in Mandya district. He was speaking during a review meeting with the elected representatives from Mandya, BESCOM, and KPTCL officials at the Mandya Zilla Panchayat office. Mr. George instructed the CESC officials to take steps to ensure power supply to farmers and submit a proposal for supplying an additional two hours of electricity for sugarcane farmers over the next three months while ensuring there is no gap between demand and supply. Due to good rains the previous year, there had been an increase in short-duration crops, including sugarcane.
As sugarcane requires continuous water supply until the end of March, Dinesh Gooligowda, MLC, brought to the Minister’s attention the need for two hours of additional power for pump sets. In response, the Minister directed the Managing Director of CESC to submit a proposal immediately and assured that a decision would be made based on the proposal. This year, Mandya district is witnessing a 30% rise in irrigation during the season compared to last year, according to estimates from State Load Despatch Centre (SLDC) and Power Company of Karnataka Ltd. (PCKL), which were based on a study using Artificial Intelligence. The expanded cultivation area will lead to higher consumption and an increased need for additional power. KPTCL is forecasting a demand of approximately 400 MW of power for January and February and 1,000 MW from March to May. To ensure a smooth power supply, the State is sourcing electricity from neighbouring States, prioritising power exchanges. Immediate discussions must be initiated with these States to finalise agreements for this purpose. Considering the high costs of short-term electricity procurement, Mr. George emphasised the need to prioritise securing long-term contracts at lower rates. Mr. George also spoke on the progress of the Kusum-C project. Under the Kusum C Feeder Solarisation Project, solar power-generating units will be installed to supply electricity directly to nearby substations. This approach ensures that power is consistently available within each substation, he explained. Mandya has 59 substations, of which 37 are part of the KUSUM-C Scheme, which provides uninterrupted power for seven hours during the daytime.
Four of these 37 substations are under construction while land identification for the remaining 33 is under way. Mr. George also directed the Mandya Deputy Commissioner to prioritise the identification of land and transfer the same to the Energy Department to implement Kusum-C scheme. When MLAs from the Mandya district brought up issues concerning their constituencies during the meeting, he said: “People bring their concerns directly to the MLAs, who are well-informed about the problems. Therefore, CESC engineers should maintain regular contact with the MLAs in their areas, consider their suggestions, and ensure that work is done.” Srirangapatna MLA Ramesh Bandi Siddegowda, Energy Department Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta, KPTCL Managing Director Pankaj Kumar Pandey, Mandya Deputy Commissioner Kumara, CESC MD Sheela, and others attended the meeting.
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Source : The Hindu
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