Sufficient electricity for Delhi, but coal stock still low: Jain

Power supply in the national capital is "sufficient" and the level of load shedding faced in June was the "lowest" when the city's electricity demand hit an all-time high, Delhi Power Minister Satyendar Jain today said.

Interacting with reporters here, Jain also said, the power subsidy scheme for tenants is also likely to be announced soon.

"The average load shedding (percentage) for this month (June 1-19) is 0.08 per cent. On June 11 it was 0.13 per cent. The corresponding average figure in 2017 was 0.1 per cent and in 2016 it was 0.23 per cent," according to data shared by Jain.

 

Delhi's peak electricity demand had hit an "all-time high" of 6,934 MW this summer at 3:28 pm on June 8.

"It (load shedding percentage) is still lowest in the country. And, our electricity supply is sufficient as of now," he claimed.

Jain, however, again cautioned that coal stock in plants had "risen" but still below ideal requirement.

"The stock level had dipped to less than a day last month, now the availability is such that it can last for 4-5 days. It should be 15 days ideally," he said.

The city government has been planning to extend power subsidy scheme to tenants through "prepaid electricity meters".

"It will be a pre-paid metre so that tenants can avail the subsidy if they have rented out a house," the minister said.

Under the power subsidy scheme, the Delhi government provides 50 per cent subsidy on electricity tariffs up to 400 units on domestic electricity connections for all residents of Delhi.

Asked which areas consume maximum electricity, he said, in day time it is south Delhi, "the posh areas like South Extension and other neighbouring regions. And, at night (10 PM-1 AM), it is west Delhi areas like Uttam Nagar".

The minister also said about 600 transformers have been installed in and "150 more transformers would be installed till year end".

"Besides, we have made 20 teams, consisting of engineers and other technical experts who inspect sites to see if things are being properly implemented," he said.