No power shortage during Commonwealth Games: Dikshit

Delhi chief minister Shiela Dikshit Saturday assured that there will be no power shortages during the summer or the Commonwealth Games to be held in October.

"The city will become power surplus and there will be no shortage of power during Commonwealth Games and thereafter," Dikshit said at the two-day national seminar on power sector reforms.

Dikshit also told the discoms to purchase the power at whatever rates were available to avoid any shortages.

"It is a satisfactory fact that the per capita consumption in Delhi has increased from 1,259 units in 2000-01 to 1,615 units in 2007-08. The increased demand has been met successfully by arranging adequate power from various states," Dikshit said adding, this is the result of privatization of the power sector.

"This is an era of power trading. Delhi will get more than 1,400 MW power from Bawana project this year, around 750 MW from Jhajjar and 900 MW from NTPC Dadri. This will definitely suffice our demand. Apart from this, work on 750 megawatt Bamnauli project will also be taken up soon," Dikshit added.

Appreciating the private discoms for providing good service to consumers, Dikshit said: "Discoms in Delhi are now competing with each other to provide the best possible services to their customers."

Dikshit also expressed satisfaction at the fact that transmission losses have come down from 50 percent to 18 percent and urged people to save electricity.