J&K's Power Crisis Looms Amid Growing Demand
Jammu & Kashmir's power scenario paints a grim picture, with demand soaring to 2,300 MW against a meager local production of 200 MW. The bulk of the electricity is supplied from external sources, raising concerns about reliability during the harsh winter months.
Principal Secretary of the Power Development Department (PDD) has assured better management of winter curtailment this year. However, residents and experts question the feasibility of such claims, citing past failures in addressing long-standing infrastructural issues.
The winter season, notorious for its biting cold, has traditionally been a period of frequent power cuts across the region. "Every winter, we hear the same promises, but our reality remains unchanged—long hours without electricity," said a resident from Srinagar.
J&K's dependency on external power supplies underscores the region's failure to bolster local generation capacities despite having significant hydroelectric potential. Critics argue that the administration's lack of foresight has left the region unprepared to meet its rising energy demands.
"While better curtailment management is welcome, it is no substitute for investing in self-reliance," remarked an energy analyst. The gap between demand and supply continues to widen, raising fears of exacerbated hardships this winter.
With winter just weeks away, the government's assurances will soon face their litmus test. For the people of J&K, the hope of a warm and well-lit winter remains as fragile as ever.
