Chandigarh: Polling for Punjab assembly over, power cuts are back again to trouble the people of the state. Several districts have been witnessing 3 to 4 hours of load shedding for the last two days, shortly after the one-day polling on January 30.

Though the state power utility attributed power cuts in industries to increase in demand by the agriculture sector and the ongoing maintenance of electricity generating plants, it said there was no load shedding in the domestic sector.

In order to bridge the demand-supply gap, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) announced a one to two-day power cut per week for industries across the state.

"Today onwards, we have imposed power cut for two days per week on heavy electricity consumers like induction furnaces and one day on rest of the industries," PSPCL, Director (Distribution), Arun Verma said.

The power utility pointed out that the 210 MW unit of Ropar power plant has been shut down for maintenance resulting in fall of generation.

"We have started the maintenance of thermal power plants on a rotational basis and presently the maintenance of Ropar plant is underway," he said.

Increase in electricity demand from agricultural sector too has put additional load. "We are ensuring 8 hours of power supply on alternate days to agriculture sector, especially for wheat growers, for irrigation purpose," he added.

PTI