The power shortage in Karnataka has become a political issue, with protests from the BJP and JD(S), and attacks from the BRS party leader in Telangana.
The ongoing drought situation has led to a decrease in electricity production in Karnataka, resulting in government-imposed load shedding. Karnataka’s energy minister, KJ George, has announced the government’s commitment to providing a continuous 5-hour power supply to farmers, rotating between daytime and nighttime in three shifts.
In response, BRS MLC Kavita criticized the Congress for trying to export its electricity problems to Telangana and questioned why Karnataka, which had promised 20 hours of electricity during the 2023 state assembly elections, was now settling for just 5 hours.
Meanwhile, in Karnataka, BJP leader BS Yediyurappa expressed concerns about the challenges faced by farmers due to load shedding during the drought. JD(S) state president HD Kumaraswamy also raised concerns about the impending electricity shortage.
The government has been facing criticism not only from the opposition but also from the industry, with the Bruhat Bangalore Hotels Association requesting uninterrupted electricity supply to address the problems faced by businesses due to unscheduled load shedding.
Efforts are being made to purchase electricity to address short-term deficits, pending approval from the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC). The government is invoking section 11 of the Electricity Act under national disaster management to procure electricity from in-state power generators to overcome the power shortage.
The surge in power consumption, ranging from 15,000 MW to 16,000 MW, as compared to 9,000 MW to 10,000 MW the previous year, is attributed to the power shortage, and the government is committed to addressing the issue by purchasing power.
