If Centre cuts power, Centre will suffer

Addressing newspersons for the first time after taking over as the power minister, Dr Nath expressed his inability to check power theft without public cooperation. 8220;There is no section of society in Delhi which does not steal power. The very rich, the rich the middle class and the poor. Power theft is all pervasive,8221; he said.

The minister said it was unfair to blame jhuggi-dwellers alone for power thefts as they were responsible for only 150 to 200 MW of the losses. Nearly 40 per cent of the 2,400 MW was being stolen or lost due to technical faults. Power theft by industrial units was the worst, he said.

Of the 2,400 MW demand of Delhi, almost 1,000 MW is lost in theft and distribution. 8220;To check theft, we will provide a single-point connection to the industrial areas and install a meter on the high tension line going inside the industrial areas. Distribution and theft will be their industrialists8217; responsibility,8221; Dr Nath said. He also said that the self-assessment bill system will be launched in Lajpat Nagar area on a trial basis to check corruption by DVB8217;s meter readers.

Explaining the reasons for the loadshedding in recent days, Dr Nath said under frequency and grid constraints due to shortage of power resulted in power cuts. He said he was in touch with Union Minister of Power P R Kumaramanglam for resumption and maintenance of proper power supply to the Capital.

Though there was hardly any under-frequency tripping during first half of December, the power supply from the northern grid started falling from December 16 onwards and had recorded 158 trippings during the last 13 days, he added. He admitted that despite a rising demand that peaked at 2,600 MW, DVB8217;s own capacity was a mere 300 MW. Badarpur gave Delhi another 600 MW and the northern grid gave whatewver else was required. Nath said that the frequency was very low in the power that they were getting from the grid. Nath reiterated what the DVB has been saying already about other member states of the grid not installing under frequency relays and shunt capacitors. 8220;Our system was deficient but we are improving it. Nehru Place, Defence Colony and Guru Angad Nagar lines have been augmented. By April the entire system would be augmented,8221; Chairman Singh said.

Nath announced that he would be heading a high-level committee to consider reforms in the power sector, including privatisation and augmentation of the existing system to ensure an uninterrupted electricity supply in the Capital. The minister said that the committee, which was expected to come out with a White Paper on Delhi8217;s power position on January 15, would also suggest measures to curtail power theft.

The White Paper will talk about theft, privatisation issue, augmentation, addition and alteration in the DVB. Apart from Nath, Chairman Virender Singh and Member Technical Y.P. Singh and S.P. Aggarwal are part of the team. Chairman Singh said that Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited BHEL had been given the contract for 70 grid stations which will become active within a year and a half. Tenders had been received for another 16 and contracts would be awarded within the next two months. 8220;Delhi8217;s power situation will be up to the mark by the year 2000,8221; he said.