CM urges power saving amid demand spike

Lucknow: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday appealed to people to use electricity judiciously amid an ongoing strain on supply, saying state govt was working to ensure uninterrupted power despite rising demand.Addressing a programme organised to mark three years of the Lucknow Municipal Corporation board, the chief minister said global energy supply chains had been affected while the electricity demand had increased sharply due to rising temperatures.He said Uttar Pradesh’s peak power demand, which stood at 15,000-16,000 megawatts (MW) before 2017, had now risen to 32,000-33,000 MW.At the same time, electricity generation in the state increased from around 6,000 MW to 13,000 MW, while renewable energy generation reached nearly 10,000 MW, he said.He said the state’s total requirement was now between 33,000 and 35,000 MW and urged citizens not to be misled by rumours regarding the power situation.“Consume only as much electricity as required,” he said, adding that many people had started using electric heaters for cooking due to the LPG supply crisis.The chief minister also said “double-engine govt” would continue working to address all challenges related to power supply and infrastructure.He also attacked the Opposition for creating a fake narrative of energy crisis in the state, while recalling the condition of electricity supply during the tenure of the previous Samajwadi Party govt.“Who is raising fingers on the energy crisis? The Opposition is trying to create this narrative. It is a fact that during the era of the Samajwadi Party, people used to hang their clothes to dry on the very power lines meant to carry electricity. Back then, when there was no electricity supply, what exactly were these people doing?” he said.He further recalled that during previous govt, electricity supply was allegedly rotated unevenly between districts.“Whenever electricity was to be supplied to a particular district, power would be provided for the night during one week; the following week, it would be supplied to a different district. Sometimes during the day, sometimes at night,” he stated.The CM’s remarks came amid allegations by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav over repeated power cuts in several parts of the state.