TURA: The Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Limited has decided to begin power cuts from Saturday onwards across the state in the light of depleting water levels in the state reservoirs and the reduced supply from NEEPCO to the state, it has been officially announced.
The five districts of Garo Hills, extending from Tura all the way to Nongchram and Mangsang in East Garo Hills facing the border with West Khasi Hills and even remote Rongara in South Garo Hills will all fall in the load shedding hours of 3 AM to 6 AM.
Shillong and other parts of Khasi Hills will experience load shedding from 9 AM to 11 AM, Khliehriat and entire Jaintia Hills from 11-12 noon and again from 2 to 3 PM, Mawphlang to Nongstoin and Cherrapunjee from 12 noon to 2 PM.
“Water levels in our reservoirs have dropped and we depend on NEEPCO through its the power grid regulation for supply of power. At peak time Meghalaya needs as much as 400 MW of power of which Garo Hills requires 55-60 MW,” informed Chief Executive Officer of MePDCL Balnang R Sangma while speaking to The Shillong Times.
He said that the power cuts will continue until further notice.
Meanwhile, senior officials from the power department said that MePDCL has been compelled to ration out power because of the spike in power demand during the cold winter months in many of the states.
NEEPCO is tasked with distribution of electricity all across the country generated from its hydro-electric dams, particularly in the north eastern states, Sikkim and North Bengal (Teesta dams in Sevok-Kalimpong region).
With the Christmas festival season already commencing, the early morning power cuts are bound to be a damper of the celebrations.
However, there is some good news for the public as power department officials maintain that there will be no load shedding on Christmas and New Year’s Day celebrations.