Simkot going through 14-hour daily power cuts

By Our Correspondent,Humla Feb. 19 : Hildum Power Distribution Centre has increased the load shedding time to 14 hours a day. The daily load-shedding hours have been increased after decreasing electricity generation due to reduced water level in the river.

Shankar Prasad Hamal, chief of the distribution centre, said that due to the lack of water resources, the load shedding schedule was increased to 14 hours a day after the power generation decreased. The centre, which has been supplying electricity to two rural municipalities -- Simkot and Kharpunath Rural Municipality, has been cutting power for 12 to 14 hours a day.

A few days ago, the daily load shedding schedule was increased from four to eight hours a day. Hamal said that the source of water required for the power house has decreased due to the lack of rain fall which affected the production and compelled a power outage.

A power house with a power generation capacity of 500 kilowatts currently produces between 100 to 20 kilowatts in peak and normal hours. Currently, there is a demand of more than one megawatt of electricity in Simkot. A businessman of Simkot market Saroj Rawat said that consumers have been hit after the Centre cut power supply for up to 14 hours a day.

He said that the business of electronic materials has also decreased and there is also a problem in lighting the households. Due to the increase in load shedding, the furniture industries have closed and the consumers have stopped using electronic equipment.

The consumption of firewood has increased after the electricity supply has been cut in the morning and evening, said locals. More than 3,000 households have been affected from the power outage in these rural municipalities.