Bhubaneswar: Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Agriculture, Farmers’ Empowerment and Energy, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, has reviewed the preparedness of the Energy Department to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply during the peak summer months.
Chairing a high-level meeting, Singh Deo directed officials to maintain normal power supply across the state and prevent any disruption amid rising temperatures. He stressed swift response to outages and called for heightened vigilance during the heatwave period.
Officials informed that the department has already aligned its strategy to meet peak demand. The maximum electricity demand in April has so far touched 6,087 MW, which is being met without difficulty. The demand is projected to rise to around 6,200 MW in May and about 6,100 MW in June. The state has recorded a 2% increase in demand this April compared to the same period last year.
To ensure adequate supply, the department has coordinated with Odisha Hydro Power Corporation to maximise hydropower generation during peak months. It has also strengthened ties with thermal power plants and initiated power banking arrangements. Discussions are underway with Rourkela Steel Plant for the procurement of 50–100 MW of power. Additionally, provisions have been made to source electricity from power exchanges as required.
The government has also taken steps to improve consumer services. The call centre capacity has been enhanced from 100 to 150 logins per day. Facilities such as missed-call alerts and single-click access have been introduced to provide real-time updates on outages. Consumers can now register complaints easily through IVRS, the official website, mobile app, and self-service options. Advance information on scheduled power cuts is being disseminated through SMS, WhatsApp, social media platforms, and local announcements.
Reiterating consumer welfare measures, Singh Deo instructed officials not to disconnect power supply to domestic consumers for non-payment of bills during the extreme summer heat. He also directed the immediate resolution of complaints from any part of the state.
Additional Chief Secretary (Energy) Vishal Kumar Dev, OPTCL CMD Bhaskar Jyoti Sharma, GRIDCO MD Satya Priya Rath, senior officials of the Energy Department, and CEOs of DISCOMs attended the review meeting.
