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Bombay faces power shutdown threat

Our Correspondent in Bombay

Bombay, the nation's business capital, could face a major power shut-down from December 6, with the Maharashtra State Electricity Board threatening to cut off power supply if the Tata Electric Companies does not pay up the dues it owes to the MSEB.

The meeting between the officials of the Maharashtra State Electric Board and the TEC ended in a deadlock as the MSEB gave an ultimatum to the TEC to pay up the dues of Rs 2.74 billion or face the consequences.

Sources at the MSEB said that the meeting was inconclusive because the TEC authorities hold that the BSES should pay up the dues.

MSEB is the power generator, while TEC and BSES are the two companies which distribute power supply in Greater Bombay City and the suburbs of Bombay.

Sources said that the MSEB officials have stated that they will disconnect power supply in a phase manner. To begin with they will disconnect the 100 KV Kalwa-Bhandup-Salphate line and then disconnect one line to the BSES.

The Tatas are likely to disconnect the power supply on one of the two the 220 KV lines from Borivali to Versova which could result in load-shedding.

"The load-shedding will definitely lead to a blackout in certain areas of suburbs. The hardest to be hit are the slums," said an MSEB official while speaking to rediff.com.

"However, if the Tatas don't pay till December 6, the entire Bombay city can face a black out," he added.

In spite of repeated attempts to contact Adi Engineer, managing director, Tata Electric Companies, this correspondent could not get through. All his office had to say was "Contact the deputy general manager, N K Gupta." He too was not available for comment.

"Mr Padamsinh Patil is currently in Nagpur attending the assembly session and it seems that the crisis may worsen if some action is not taken immediately," an MSEB official added.

Minister for Energy Padamsinh Patil had earlier said that both the companies owe MSEB the amount and they have to pay their dues.

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