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The Heat Factor: As Kolkatans Install ACs, Supply Trips

By siddharth22, Section Electricity
Posted on Thu Apr 24, 2008 at 11:15:44 PM EST

Next time you have a power cut, blame it on the air conditioners in your neighbourhood. Other than a power supply-demand mismatch, a significant rise in the number of unauthorised AC installation has lead to overloading and subsequently frequent power cuts.

While one cannot deny that there are power supply bottlenecks,thedemandforelectricity has also multiplied in the last two years. With this the unauthorised installation of ACs has made matters worse.

The Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC) has already sent mailers to its customers with Do's and Don't's about installing an air conditioner.

It states: "If you are planning to install air conditioners let us help you. You may be aware that the capacities of meters and other equipment for supplying electricity to a consumer are based on the connected load applied for the consumer.

Consumersneedtoinformthe licensee (CESC) if there is any change in this connected load," the mailer states.

The CESC has also appealed to its consumers to inform it in case they have plans to increase the additional load.

"Were iterate and requestall our consumers to inform us before installing and connecting any additional load, specially air conditioners, so that we may increase the supply capacity, if required," the mailer, which has been despatched to households with the latest electricity bills, states.

According to estimates madebytheCESC,onanaverage there has been a 50 MW increase in evening peak hour demand as compared to last year.

"The rise in demand is definitely due to increased use of energy gadgets like microwave ovens. In the summer months, it could beat tributed to the use of air conditioners," said an official of the CESC.

The shopping malls have also triggered a demand for power in the city. On the other hand, the increase in demand is partly off set by the shutdown of industries, said an official of the power department.

Unofficial estimates say that the number of AC installations in Salt Lake itself has shot up bymorethan70percent,saida senior official of the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Corporation Limited. A reasonably upmarket neighbourhood of 100 households used to see 30 AC installations.

Now 70 households have ACs, a CESC official.

According to an official of Capital Electronics, the last two years has witnessed a 40 per cent increase in window type Acs, mostly used by domestic consumers.

But it is difficult for the power utilities in the city to come up with exact figures for installations in air conditioners. More often than not, consumers do not reveal the installations for fear of paying up higher security deposit money due to the increased load.

SourcE:The Indian Express,25-04-08

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