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Journalism of Courage
Overproduction of electricity in the summer months with an eye on the LS elections may have been one of the factors behind the fall in water level in Bhakra.
The plant8217;s generation data shows the government decided to increase power generation despite a steep fall in the water level in the run-up to elections to ensure they were no power cuts in that time.
Power generation shot up mid-April. On April 11, the water level was 1510.9 feet, only five feet up from last year; Punjab generated 27.27 lakh units, much less than 37 lakh units last year. On April 20, the situation was reversed. Water fell by another seven feet but 40 lakh units of power was generated.
On May 1, Bhakra generated 55 lakh units, on May 2 it shot to 58 lakh units, peaking to 61 lakh units on June 1. PSEB chief Y.S. Ratra denies any poll-related move. Power generation has fallen by 40 per cent since last year, he said.
