With the improvement in infrastructure and power availability, Jammu and Kashmir as per reports is heading towards witnessing a power demand surge by nearly 50 percent in a coming decade
The forecast of the concerned authorities demands swift action and solution in accordance to the gradual surge and demand.
For many years, Kashmir especially during the winters used to face long durational power curtailments. However, this year the locals are seeing a sigh of relief as the curtailment program has not increased for several months.
The way concerned authorities in sync with the local administration and government dealt the issue, the matter of electricity surge shall be dealt with the same mechanism before the estimated time of the projection.
This prediction is not surprising; rather, it indicates an aspirational society taking hold.
It reflects ambition on the part of new industries, and those areas that need a digitized economy. It signifies the appropriate aspirations of every household for a contemporary and reliable quality of life.
Betting on this antiquated system to somehow adapt to a 50 percent increase in demand is overly optimistic and a recipe for systemic collapse.
The answer is not simply generating more power. J&K has large, harnessed, hydroelectric resources, but increasing generation alone, without building a modernized grid is like pouring water into a bucket with holes.
The answer and challenge – even obligation – is to build a smart, resilient and efficient grid and not just to transmit the power, but to manage it smartly.
The government also needs to prioritize decreasing Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses, including decreasing power theft through enforcement and smart meters, in order that revenue can flow back to the utilities to bolster the utilities back into the system.
We may have a unique strength in hydropower, but we need to pursue opportunities to supplement our portfolios with other renewable energy resources, like solar energy, and especially with off-grid/micro-grid solutions, for rural areas and hard to access locations. A diversified resource base enhances energy security.
