By IANS,
Bangalore: People in Karnataka, including tech hub Bangalore, are in for frequent power disruptions as the agitation for a separate Telangana in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh has hit power production, Energy Minister Shobha Karandlaje indicated Monday.
“We may also have to resort to load shedding (power cuts) both in urban and rural areas (if the agitation prolongs),” she told reporters here.
The agitation for separate statehood for Telangana has disrupted coal supply to thermal power plants in Raichur and Bellary in north Karnataka, Karandlaje said.
The stir has also hit power supply to the state from central grid. The state used to get 1,200 MW daily from central grid but the amount has now come down to 900 MW, she said.
The combined effect has resulted in a shortfall of 1,500 MW of power per day for the state, Karandlaje said.
The huge shortfall meant frequent power disruption in many areas in Bangalore and other parts of the state since Monday morning.
Karandlaje said state was planning to buy power from Oct 1 from power-surplus states to tide over the crisis.