PANAJI
Every summer, as the mercury climbs, Goans brace themselves not just for the heat but for the power cuts that tag along. This year, the summer is even more severe and the power situation is no different.
Across several towns and villages, people are complaining of fans going slow, lights flickering, and sudden blackouts that throw daily life off balance.
The problem, according to Electricity Department officials, is that demand shoots up considerably with everyone switching on their coolers and ACs, while supply from the national grid falls short of peak load demand.
Goa’s electricity comes from the national grid and is wheeled from outside the State. Summer is also the time when the national grid itself faces shortages due to dwindling output from hydroelectric plants when water levels dip.
“It’s peak demand season. The load is heavy, but the inflow from hydro stations is weak. That’s why you see these fluctuations,” a power department engineer explained, adding that the State tries to plug the gap with partial load-shedding, although it never suffices.
For shopkeepers, these power interruptions affect business, and for households, they bring the frustration of appliances getting damaged or evenings spent in the discomfort of the heat, with cooling appliances not working.
Although many families have installed inverters or generators, not everyone can afford them.
Residents say they’ve grown used to it, but the irritation is clear. “Every year it’s the same story. Summer means sweat, and summer means power cuts,” said a resident in St Cruz.
To the Electricity Department's credit, however, Goa's industrial sector has thus far remained insulated from the erratic power supply.
"As of now, it is all good. No issues at the moment," an industry association member said of the power supply situation in the Verna and Sancoale industrial areas.
