Punjab sees nearly 30,000 power supply complaints in 15 hours, bypoll-bound Ludhiana West leads in response

The highest number of resolved complaints came from the Ludhiana City West division, where a total of 3,363 complaints were addressed within a 15-hour period. By 3 pm, only one complaint remained pending. This division is part of the bypoll-bound Ludhiana West constituency, where the PSPCL staff have been particularly vigilant in responding to outages.

In the Ludhiana East division, over 3,250 complaints were still pending as of 3 pm, highlighting a significant disparity in complaint resolution among divisions.

The surge in complaints comes amid extremely hot weather conditions, which have spiked power demand across Punjab. This has led to frequent tripping, overloading, and outages in domestic areas throughout the state. Even though Monday evening brought some relief with rain and cooler temperatures, the weather itself became a cause for concern. Strong winds followed by rain led to the tripping of supply lines, resulting in further disruptions.

Officials cited that overhead wiring systems are especially vulnerable during such weather. Falling tree branches, tilting or collapsing electric poles, and faulty fuse boxes were reported as common issues. In many cases, system overloading during peak demand further contributed to breakdowns.

Mohali’s upscale areas also affected

Power outages have not remained limited to smaller towns or villages. Even upscale urban centres like Mohali have been facing regular interruptions. Aerocity, a high-profile residential area in Mohali, has witnessed frequent and prolonged power cuts, prompting local residents to raise concerns. “It has become a routine issue,” said Arshleen Kaur, a resident of Aerocity.

With the paddy transplantation season underway, the PSPCL is also managing agricultural supply alongside domestic demand. Reports indicated that over 40 agricultural feeders were without power until 3 pm Tuesday. However, the average duration of these supply complaints remained under four hours.

Despite the challenges, the PSPCL managed to meet a maximum demand of 13,341 MW Tuesday afternoon. Of this, 9,500 MW was drawn from outside Punjab, while the remaining came from in-house generation.

Though Punjab Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO has repeatedly claimed that the state is equipped to meet high demand, the department has maintained silence over the rising number of complaints during these extreme weather conditions.

With the Ludhiana West division recording the highest complaint compliance, sources confirmed that the PSPCL deputed additional staff from other divisions to this area. The aim is to prevent further public dissatisfaction, especially in light of the upcoming bypoll on June 19.