As Kashmir braces for another unforgiving winter, the familiar cycle resumes—official meetings, detailed presentations and renewed assurances that this season will be different. The power department has laid out its blueprint: smart meters, rooftop solar installations under the Surya Ghar scheme, loss reduction works, diesel stockpiling for DG sets, and transformer repairs. On paper, it’s a master plan. On the ground, it’s a test of credibility.
The department claims readiness to supply 2000MW this season, a notable rise from the current peak demand of 1850MW. With 12.44 lakh registered consumers 85% of them domestic fed through 338 substations and nearly 48,000 transformers, the scale is vast. Areas equipped with LT cables and smart meters are promised uninterrupted supply. But the real measure of success isn’t in megawatts, it’s in moments. Will the lights stay on when snow blankets the Valley? Will students study without disruption? Will families cook and stay warm without fear of outages?
Curtailment schedules based on loss margins; ranging from zero to six hours; may be technically sound, but they often feel punitive to consumers. The poorest neighbourhoods, already burdened by weak infrastructure, face the longest outages. And the unelectrified belt of Gurez remains a stark reminder that even in 2025, some communities still await basic connectivity.
This year’s directives; branch cutting before snowfall, diesel provisioning for DG sets, workshop augmentation, and rapid transformer repairs are steps in the right direction. The push to synchronize smart metering with rooftop solar installations and revise targets in high-performing areas shows urgency. But urgency must be matched with accountability. Year after year, despite similar plans, the same flaws emerge: transformers fail, lines snap, and restoration lags. The gap between intention and implementation remains stubbornly wide.
Surya Ghar scheme, if scaled inclusively, could be transformative. Rooftop solar systems offer decentralized resilience, especially in areas prone to grid failures. But installation must not be confined to affluent pockets. Technical staff must be hired not just to meet quotas, but to ensure quality, longevity, and equity. The promise of zero electricity bills for thousands of households is powerful; but only if it reaches the margins, not just the middle.
There is also a need to address the psychological toll of power insecurity. For many families, winter is not just a season; it is a struggle. The anxiety of outages, the scramble for alternatives, the disruption of daily life; all of it chips away at dignity. Power is not a luxury; it is a basic right. It enables education, healthcare, communication, and livelihood. Its absence is not just an inconvenience; it is a denial of opportunity.
Kashmir’s winters are not just cold; they are defining. Power is not a privilege; it is a necessity. It is the difference between survival and suffering, between dignity and despair. Let this winter be the one where the Valley witnesses not just meetings, but meaningful change. The people of Kashmir are not asking for miracles. They are asking for the basics: light to study, heat to cook, power to survive. If governance means anything, it must begin here; with dignity in the dark months, and delivery where it matters most. Let this winter be remembered not for outages and excuses, but for resilience and reform. Let it be the season when power promises finally become power realities.