AAP refuses to relent even as BSES, Tata Power expose 'power cut' lies

New Delhi: A day after power distribution companies BSES and Tata Power-DDL denied the allegations of power cuts in the city, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday accused the BJP-led Delhi government of failing to manage the city’s power supply, alleging that residents have faced frequent and prolonged outages since the new administration took over.

Addressing a press conference, AAP senior leader Jasmine Shah presented data from the Delhi State Load Dispatch Centre, claiming that the government’s assertion of "planned shutdowns" was false.

"Since the BJP government took charge in February, Delhi's power distribution system has collapsed. The people of Delhi are experiencing a crisis they haven’t seen in the last 10 years,” he said.

He also cited instances of unscheduled power cuts across the city, listing disruptions lasting from 30 minutes to over three hours in multiple areas, including Sadar Bazar, Nand Nagri, Yamuna Vihar and Safdarjung Enclave. The party said outages also affected key locations such as Indira Gandhi International Airport and major residential and commercial zones.

The party MLAs even raised the issue in the recently concluded budget session and moved the calling attention motion to discuss the power cuts in the Assembly.

Energy Minister Ashish Sood had claimed there were no unscheduled power cuts in Delhi, stating that all shutdowns were planned maintenance operations. However, AAP challenged this, alleging that emergency breakdowns, transformer failures and line trips were being misrepresented.  "The data shows the truth — this is a complete governance failure," the AAP leader said.

Shah also demanded an official response from the Delhi government and urged the BJP to take accountability for the "deteriorating" power situation.

Earlier in the week, AAP leader Atishi accused the city BJP government of failing to manage power supply, alleging outages have increased since the party took office last month.

Reports of outages also made rounds on social media.

BSES in a statement dismissed the claims as false and urged consumers to report any issues through its official website.

Tata Power-DDL said some of the complaints made online were inaccurate and misleading.

The company claimed that its 24/7 Quick Response Team (QRT) is always prompt in addressing disruptions and emergencies promptly.

During the Delhi Assembly session on Tuesday, Power Minister Ashish Sood took a strong stance against misinformation about power outages, warning of strict legal action against those allegedly spreading falsehoods.

"We will take strict action against such fake accounts and the people who support them. This will not be a civil case but a criminal one," he asserted.

With the summer season approaching, discoms are preparing for an unprecedented surge in electricity demand, expected to touch 9,000 MW for the first time, according to the State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC).

BSES, which serves over 50 lakh consumers and nearly 2 crore residents across South, West, East, and Central Delhi, is gearing up to meet the increased demand, it said.

In its jurisdiction, peak demand is projected to rise from 3,809 MW in 2024 to approximately 4,050 MW this summer, while in BYPL's area, it is expected to increase from 1,882 MW to around 1,900 MW, it stated.

Similarly, Tata Power-DDL, responsible for power distribution in North Delhi, has optimised its network to handle the anticipated peak demand of 2,562 MW, up from 2,481 MW last year.

With long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) and banking arrangements securing up to 2,850 MW, the company assured consumers that it is well-prepared to meet the growing electricity needs, it said.

Tata Power-DDL clarified that planned shutdowns in certain areas were part of necessary system upgrades ahead of summer.

The company also claimed that there had been no power cuts in the vicinity of Delhi University in the past week.