Maharashtra Energy Minister Nitin Raut on Friday urged citizens to reconsider Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to switch off all lights...
Maharashtra Energy Minister Nitin Raut on Friday urged citizens to reconsider Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to switch off all lights for nine minutes on April 5, saying this could lead to a power grid failure in the country, NDTV reported. In a video message, Modi on Friday asked citizens to illuminate their houses with lamps and candles to mark their fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
“If all lights are put off at the same time, it can lead to a potential blackout, which will also affect the emergency services,” Raut said.The minister explained that if all the lights are switched off at the same time, it would create a huge difference in the demand and supply of electricity. The demand for power has already decreased from 23,000 megawatt to 13,000 megawatt amid the countrywide lockdown as all factory units stopped operations, he added.
“It may take up to 12 to 16 hours to restore services. In fight against coronavirus pandemic, electricity is an important tool,” Raut added.
Electricity department officials of Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have also issued circulars instructing their field officers to keep all reactors of the states’ power grids in service to protect it from a high voltage power surge....
