600-MW power transfer puts Baddi industry under strain

Besides weekly rotational cuts, industrial areas are facing several hours of unannounced outages. Representatives of the Nalagarh Industries Association (NIA) said the problem had intensified since October 2, with unscheduled cuts during peak hours and extended disruptions.

NIA advisor RG Aggarwal said manufacturing operations could not be switched on and off like domestic appliances. He said interruptions during production could damage machinery, destroy batches and affect delivery commitments, besides causing losses through penalties, lost orders and erosion of customer confidence.

“If Himachal’s own factories are forced to run on generators, lose production and shed workers, the priorities need urgent correction,” Aggarwal said. An HPSEBL official said the Baddi industrial cluster requires around 245 MVA. On Thursday, a shortage of 30 MVA was recorded between 7 am and 10.30 am, while the State Load Dispatch Centre flagged another 90 MVA shortage between 10 am and noon, forcing the board to impose cuts.

The extent of disruption was reflected in the log maintained by a spinning mill in Nalagarh, which recorded 32 power interruptions resulting in 10.47 hours of power loss during September.

Industry representatives have demanded adequate peak-hour power for industrial consumers before export commitments are undertaken. They have also sought a review of the power export arrangement, an immediate audit of tripping and outages on all industrial feeders, and a corrective action plan within 30 days to minimise disruptions and production losses.