Demand for electricity has increased in Maharashtra

Nitin Raut, Maharashtra Cabinet Minister, speaking to the media has stated that the demand for electricity has increased by about 2,000 MW.

As a result of the coronavirus-induced lockdown, businesses were paralyzed everywhere which led to a decrease in the consumption of electricity. However, after the central government issued new rules for the fourth phase of the Unlock, the state government decided to relax the restrictions under 'Mission Begin Again'. So now a lot of government and semi-government offices have resumed operations.

Hotels, restaurants have been permitted to reopen. Shops, commercial establishments have increased their times, the wheels of industry are also further gaining momentum. As a consequence, the demand for electricity has also increased.

As the demand for electricity increases, power generation has started from Mahanirmiti's Parli power station set No. 8 with a capacity of 250 MW and Bhusawal power station set No. 4 and 5 with a capacity of 500 MW each.

Raut further stated that in order to provide uninterrupted power supply to the power consumers in the state, the power companies should be equipped with power generation sets and make efficient use of skilled manpower by enabling technical machinery. He added that the MSEDCL is facing a tough challenge to restore power supply in the flood-hit areas of the state and work has been undertaken on the battlefield.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government has decided to consider a waiver in power bills. This comes after the people in the state received inflated power bills for the months of April, May and June. As a result of the coronavirus-induced lockdown, the state is planning to bear the surplus burden that the power companies have recorded during these months.

This move is set to bring relief to several power consumers who have been registering complaints of exorbitant bills in the past. The state government is also said to address complaints of high power bills of prominent personalities, industrialists and celebrities in the state.