Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], June 22 (ANI): Punjab Power Minister ETO, Harbhajan Singh announced that the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) successfully met its all-time highest demand of 16,078 MW on June 19 this year, surpassing last year's maximum demand of 15,325 MW.

According to an official release from the Information and Public Relations Department, Punjab, "No cuts have been imposed on any category besides providing an 8-hour daily uninterrupted power supply to agriculture feeders for the sowing of paddy crops throughout the state."The Punjab Power Minister, who was addressing a meeting said that there are 13,340 11 kV feeders across the state out of which 6,954 feeders provide Agricultural supply to around 14 lakh tubewell connections.

He said that the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Punjab Government has taken several measures including adequate power availability arrangements and infrastructure upgradation works to ensure uninterrupted power supply.

In a crucial meeting attended by key officials, including Additional Chief Secretary, Power Tejveer Singh, CMD/PSPCL Er Baldev Singh Sran, Director Distribution, PSPCL, Er. DPS Grewal, and Director Generation, PSPCL, Er Parmjeet Singh, Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO assessed the state's power supply arrangements for the ongoing paddy season.

PSPCL officials apprised the Power Minister that several measures have been taken to meet the increasing power demand this summer, including setting up mobile transformers at urban centres, material stores at the division level and grid substations, 104 nodal complaint centres at the division level.

It also includes control rooms at 21 circles, setting up 5 zones beside the head office control room for resolution of grievances and deploying adequate complaint handling manpower.

Further, it was informed by the PSPCL that the stock position and supplies of distribution transformers, cables, PVCs, conductors, poles and other accessories are sufficient to meet the requirements during the paddy season, said the release.

PSPCL also informed that extensive maintenance of the power distribution system including distribution transformers and power lines, has been carried out before the paddy season.

As a result of this preventive maintenance, there were no crop fire incidents due to electric sparks, reported this year in Punjab.

The Power Minister directed the PSPCL to ensure that there are no power cuts during the summer season.

The meeting was concluded with the Power Minister expressing satisfaction with the preparations made by the Power companies.

He said that the government is confident that the people of Punjab will get an uninterrupted power supply during the summer season. (ANI)