| The UPPCL has said Rai Bareli was getting power supply for 24 hours daily and the rural areas 15 hours daily, since June 15. Earlier, Rai Bareli got power for 16 hours a day and the rural areas 16 hours, as per the supply schedule. |
| Addressing a press conference here today, UPPCL Chairman Ashok Khurana, who is also principal secretary (power), said 24-hour power supply was restored to Rai Bareli on the directives of Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav. |
| Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde raised this issue. Shinde visited the Unchaar thermal power station of the National Thermal Power Corporation in Rai Bareli district on June 15. |
| The UPPCL blamed the Centre for its inability to maintain constant power supply to Rai Bareli, citing the delay in the construction of the 220 KV transmission sub-station in the district by the PowerGrid Corporation of India (PGCIL). |
| "A 220 KV transmission sub-station is being constructed by the PGCIL, land was allotted to them in October last year, but work is yet to begin," said Khurana. |
| "The present transmission capacity available in Rai Bareli is only 120 MVA, while the daily demand of the whole district is over 213 Mw," he added. |
| Khurana said, "Even if we wish to ensure 24-hour power supply to Rai Bareli, we are hamstrung by inadequate transmission capacity." |
| He said the UP government decided to construct one more transmission sub-station of 220 KV in the district. Upon the insistence of the Centre, the construction of the sub-station was awarded to the PGCIL, he added. |
| He said this issue was raised during the June 15 visit of Sushil Kumar Shinde when the PGCIL maintained that the sub station would be commissioned by March next year. |
| The 220 KV transmission sub-station is being constructed by the PGCIL under a centrally sponsored scheme where the cost will be borne equally by the UP government and the Union power ministry. |
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