MP Power Demand Surges To 18,500 MW Amid Rabi Season, Government Turns To Eight States To Avert Electricity Shortage

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Electricity demand in Madhya Pradesh has surged to 18,500 MW as agricultural activities pick up pace during the rabi season. The energy department is tapping all available resources, including thermal and solar power, to meet the rising demand.

In this regard, the department has already started drawing power from other states under power banking arrangements to meet the rising demand. Power is being sourced from eight states under these arrangements, which will continue until March 2027.

More precisely, power will be taken in two phases of 15 days each. The first phase covers the first 15 days of the month, while the second covers the remaining days.

The names of states roped in under power banking arrangements are: Punjab, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Kerala and West Bengal's Kolkata.

From Nov 1 to 15, around 407 MW of power has been made available from Punjab, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh. From Nov 16 to 30, around 2,229 MW will be available from these states.

Similarly, from Dec 1-15, around 2,823 MW of power will be made available from states including Punjab, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, Haryana and Chhattisgarh. From Dec 16-30, around 3,704 MW of power will be available from the named states.

From Jan 1-15, 3,904 MW of power will be available from states including Punjab, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Kerala and Kolkata (West Bengal).

Sources in the energy department said that load shedding is being done for a shorter duration to maintain the power lines. Former minister and Congress MLA Bala Bachchan while talking to Free Press that in his constituency, power cuts last from half an hour to one hour. Farmers are not getting proper power supply even as it is the right time to irrigate the land for rabi crops, he alleged.