Energy Minister K J George.
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: The Karnataka energy department has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 96.61 crore owing to the incessant rains in few districts over the last few days.
To ensure fast resolution of complaints and to repair the damaged infrastructure, Energy Minister K J George, on Tuesday, directed all the Escoms to hire additional linemen and gangmen on a contract basis, as required. “We have been constantly monitoring the losses in various Escoms. The losses are huge and our Energy Department officials along with our linemen and gangmen have been working tirelessly to restore the power infrastructure and resume the power supply as a high priority," George said.
According to an estimate by the department, close to 53,816 electric poles, 3,924 transformers and 1,120 km of power lines have been damaged across the state. The damages have been high especially in the Malnad region. “The State has witnessed a total infrastructure loss of Rs 96.61 crores till July 28, 2024. We ideally need two to three days to fix the damaged infrastructure, and our linemen are addressing the issues. In the Malnad region, we have seen more damage during this rainy season because of the heavy gusty winds. Places such as Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, Udupi, Hassan, Sakleshpur, and Kodagu have seen the most damage," said Gaurav Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary (Energy Department).
Artificial Intelligence to predict demand
The Energy Department has decided to use modern technology such as Artificial Intelligence to assess the demand in the state and make decisions on power sales using these predictions.
Energy Minister K J George said that the department has a potential to make higher profits by selling power during the peak hour and hence, AI was being deployed to assess the demand in the state.
According to senior officials from the department, a pilot project has already been launched to deploy AI to predict power demand in various areas, based on consumption patterns.
State records a surge in power sales
In just three months, between May and July, the Energy Department has collected close to Rs 1,403 crore by selling excess power produced in the state.
The officials from the department attributed this to the heavy rains that have improved the production of hydropower and also reduced the power consumption in the state. “The State is currently generating 250 Million Units of power per day. Of that, our consumption stands at 180 Million Units, and 20 Million Units are being returned to Punjab and Uttar Pradesh as we had received power from them during the summer months when the demand was high. The remaining 40-50 Million Units are being sold in the open market and generating sales of Rs 1,403 crores”, Energy Minister KJ George said.