Mangaluru: The state government has set in motion processes to invite tenders for purchase of 1000MW power to tide over the demand that is expected to peak from December onwards. While KPCL is confident of managing peak summer load during 2018 with existing arrangements, the government is not willing to take chances with power outages at critical juncture and hurt the image of brand Bengaluru with a power deficit scenario, minister for power D K Shivakumar said.

Shivakumar said the decision stems from the fact that hydel generation in the state is not going to be on expected lines. “With Malnad region in general and catchment area of Linganmakki in particular recording shortfall in rain by nearly 40-45%, Karnataka cannot bank on hydel power on expected lines,” he said, adding, this will widen the power deficit.

Not linking this decision to impending elections to state legislative assembly scheduled sometime when the summer is expected to be at its peak in 2018, Shivakumar said Karnataka has added 6000MW of power from various sources in the last 4-1/2 years since the Siddaramaiah government came to power. “We are expecting 600MW from the solar park at Pavagada in December and an additional 1400MW by December next from the name venture,” the minister said.

In addition, state is expected to receive 345MW power from gas based power plant at Yelahanka by May 2018, he said adding the centre has given the nod for an additional 1,200MW of power from the Adani UPCL power plant at Yellur in Udupi district. In addition, the state is encouraging hydel power generation through mini hydel power plants, he said adding plans are also afoot to produce 100MW of solar power in 100 taluks of the state where this is found feasible.

Noting that availability of power from other states too has vastly eased up, Shivakumar however complained that Karnataka is being forced to pay more for the same compared to Tamil Nadu and Kerala. “While the idea of one-nation one-grid was conceptualized during the UPA regime at the centre, the present NDA government is willing to commit only 15% of the project. We have sought that the centre bear up to 75% of the cost at a recent meeting in Delhi,” he added.