JAMMU: Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Power Development Department (PDD), Ashwani Kumar, who recently took charge of the department, kicked off his tenure with a thorough review of all sectors, holding a series of meetings.
He held detailed interactions with the officers and staff and took stock of the infrastructure status and operational performance of the power sector.
The meetings were attended by the Managing Directors of all the Corporations, Director Finance, Director Planning, Chief Engineers, Chief Electrical Inspector and other senior officers of the department.
With regard to power supply, it was informed that the department has successfully met a peak demand of 3350 MW during the current winter season, which is 7 percent higher than the peak demand met last year. An average demand of 2600 MW is also being consistently met.
The ACS was briefed about the sources from which J&K receives power. He stressed the need to ensure regular and uninterrupted power supply during the Iftar and Sehri periods. He directed to avoid the unscheduled power cuts, if any. He also emphasized for establishment of a robust load monitoring mechanism, reduction of energy losses and strengthening of consumer grievance redressal systems.
The ACS emphasized for early rollout of smart meters under the Smart Metering Programme, prioritising installation in the commercial and industrial sector and on distribution transformers. He directed the engineers to adopt an inclusive approach to integrate all connected components, noting that this reform would not only improve power supply but also enhance the financial sustainability of the sector.
Ashwani Kumar also reviewed major transmission projects across J&K and their timelines, which are expected to address the peak demand requirements of both the regions, summer in Jammu and winter in Kashmir. He stated that proposals for funding under central sector schemes or UT budget shall be pursued expeditiously. He directed that technical and infrastructure-centric interventions are required to be fast-tracked to address the low-voltage issues in certain areas.
Regarding the power generation sector, the ACS was briefed about the progress of four major hydroelectric projects, Pakal Dul, Kiru, Kwar and Ratle. He stressed that pumped storage hydro projects should also be explored in coordination with the central agencies, considering their role in peak demand management. He further discussed policy interventions required to fast-track the exploitation of the region’s hydropower potential.
The ACS also reviewed the summer preparedness of both regions by all the Corporations. He emphasised the need for an integrated and coordinated approach to ensure optimal utilisation of available resources. He directed for conducting a detailed review of summer preparedness shortly.
