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NDTV
24-06-2025
- Business
- NDTV
Nuclear Power Plant To Be Set Up In Bihar, Says Union Minister
Patna: Union Power Minister Manohar Lal on Tuesday said that a nuclear power plant and a 1,000 MW battery storage capacity unit would be set up in Bihar. He praised the Bihar government's initiatives in the power sector such as reducing aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses, installing 80 lakh smart meters and carrying out reforms in the sector. "Bihar had demanded a nuclear power plant besides allocation of additional power to it to tide it over the situation in summer. We have asked states to set up at least one nuclear power plant in their respective states... We will help Bihar in setting up a nuclear plant in the state," he said. He, however, did not divulge the details as to where in the state the plant would be set up and what will be its capacity in terms of megawatt. Mr Lal was speaking to reporters here after a one-day Eastern Region Power Ministers' Conference where different aspects and problems relating to the power sector were discussed by states in the region. He said that a 1,000 MW battery storage capacity unit will be set up in Bihar. "We have given in-principle approval to the proposal," the minister said, adding that it will depend on the generation of renewable energy. Lauding the reforms carried out by the Bihar government in the power sector, the Union minister said, "Bihar has done a tremendous work in improving the distribution system. It deserves kudos for carrying out power sector reforms especially for reducing AT&C (aggregate technical & commercial) losses, besides installing a record 80 lakh smart meters." Bihar was lagging behind in the power sector but it has done a considerably good job, he added. The Union Power Ministry has agreed to the Bihar government's demand for the supply of an additional 500 MW for the next six months, the minister said, while assuring adequate supply of power to states from the central quota if they face power shortage. Stating that cyber security has become a big issue, the minister said that nefarious designs to thwart power supply systems failed during 'Operation Sindoor' and "our system remained intact". Giving the slogan of 'power for all at all times', the Union minister said, "We have become a power surplus country. We are not only meeting our requirements but also exporting surplus power to other countries." Last year, the peak power demand was 250 GW in the country and it was expected to increase to 270 GW this year but so far, the peak power demand has reached 242 GW, he said, adding that it is expected that the power may increase further by September. "Today, we are meeting the demand of power supply in the country as we have surplus power. But 10 years ago, in 2013-14, there was a power deficiency in the country. There was 4.5 per cent power shortage in the country," he said, while stating that India was, then, known as "power deficient" country. The meeting was attended by Union Minister of State for Power and Renewable Energy Shripad Yesso Naik, Deputy Chief Minister of Odisha Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, Bihar Energy Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav and Jharkhand Urban Development and Housing Minister Sudivya Kumar, among others. Mr Lal also underscored the importance of cybersecurity in the power sector and spoke about 'islanding schemes' as effective measures to prevent power outages owing to cyber incidents and enable resilience of the grid. He assured the states of continuous support of the central government to further strengthen the power sector.
News18
12-06-2025
- Politics
- News18
India Thwarted 2 Lakh Pakistani Cyber Attacks On Power Infra During Op Sindoor, Says Khattar
Last Updated: Khattar He pointed out India's strong hydropower potential in J&K, particularly on the Chenab and Jhelum rivers, and said the govt is actively exploring new projects in the region India thwarted 2 lakh cyber attacks by Pakistan on the nation's power infrastructure during Operation Sindoor, Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on Thursday. 'We saw what happened during Operation Sindoor — our power infrastructure was targeted. Around two lakh cyber attacks were attempted, but we successfully foiled them all," said Khattar, who holds the Union Power Ministry portfolio. In Operation Sindoor, India carried out precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and PoK on May 7, two weeks after the deadly Pahalgam attack, where 26 people lost their lives. Pakistan retaliated by launching drones and missiles that were shot down by India's air defence system. The conflict went on three days in which India inflicted heavy damage to Pakistan military installations and airbases until the ceasefire was announced on May 10. Highlighting that India has kept the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance, the minister said Pakistan will feel the impact of this move. He pointed out India's strong hydropower potential in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly on the Chenab and Jhelum rivers, and said the government is actively exploring new hydroelectric projects in the region. When asked about Pakistan's objections to new hydropower projects, Khattar said, 'Let Pakistan do whatever it wants — we have already responded to them. Earlier, we had left the Wullar project due to their objections. Now, we will restart that project and issue a Detailed Project Report (DPR) soon." He also remarked that Article 370 had long acted as a barrier to the region's development, and praised Prime Minister Modi for working hard to bring progress across various sectors in Jammu and Kashmir. First Published: June 12, 2025, 13:47 IST
Time of India
21-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Frequent power outages cause trouble for Panchkula residents during summer
1 2 Panchkula: Although the Union Power Ministry maintains that consumers have a right to uninterrupted 24x7 power supply, frequent outages and breakdowns are the order of the day in Panchkula, especially during the summer months. The Centre also asserts that if a distribution company engages in wilful load shedding, consumers have the right to claim compensation. Yet, despite these guidelines, Panchkula residents continue to bear the brunt of frequent power cuts . Residents told TOI that every summer brings frequent power outages, making life difficult in the scorching heat, with temperatures hovering above 40 degrees Celsius. SK Aggarwal, a resident of Sector 4, lamented, "There are power cuts in Sector 4, our area, but they are unscheduled. As per IER rules, there can't be unscheduled power cuts. Moreover, the maintenance is very poor. During rains or storms, electricity goes out because of more sag of conductors, and wet tree branches touch conductors, causing short circuits. I doubt if the silica gel of transformers is checked regularly. As per rules, the electrical inspector is supposed to inspect all electric installations, including the distribution system. There should be no trees under overhead conductors." Another resident, Megha Bansal, rued, "Sector 18 and Sector 7 both face too many power cuts. Every week, there is a 2-4 hour shutdown. Still, every day, at least one or two times, power is switched off. We have a group from the electricity dept, and they update us about shutdowns in advance and tell us why the power has been switched off. But why is power being cut so frequently?" Solution Box forum founder Mohit Gupta, a resident of Sector 25, said, "It is frequent cuts and a frequent failure of the distribution system. An under-maintained and heavily overloaded system gives way in the wake of peak demand in the summers. UHBVNL is not even trying to work out a planned maintenance system; just firefighting is being done." PP Wahi, retired chief engineer, Bhakra Beas Management Board, Nangal, whose son resides in Sector 25, observed the power system in Panchkula earlier. "Pruning of trees near distribution lines needs to be done, and dry bushes under the lines need to be cleared. Replacement of low-capacity feeders is needed, and advance notice for shutdowns should be given. He found a lack of proper maintenance as another reason for the deficiency in providing the service. " However, Chandan Singh, chief engineer (operations), Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (UHBVNL), reasoned, "It is a temporary phase, which will end by Saturday or Sunday. Due to recent storms, our lines got affected, so we are fixing them in a phased manner, for which sometimes power is turned off in between for some time. " Besides, he said, upgrading and maintenance is not an issue with the department.
