Curbs likely on ACs, coolers in IT companies

Employees of Information Technology (IT), IT-Enabled Services (ITES) and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies will have to sweat it out in their offices soon, as the power utility is gearing up to regulate use of air-conditioners and coolers during peak hours. Facing a power crisis, officials of the Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Company Limited (APCPDCL) are all set to write letters to hundreds of IT and ITES company managements not to use air-conditioners and coolers between 6.30 PM to 10.30 PM due to acute power shortage. The move comes after the State government imposed a blanket two-hour power-cut in the twin cities besides one-day power holiday for industrial sector. Vidyasagar, Deputy Engineer (DE), Monitoring Cell, APCPDCL told Expresso that the department is planning to ban use of ACs and coolers in IT and other private companies scattered all over the city as they are putting a heavy load on the system with their roundthe- clock operations. “We are going to write letters to at least 300 private companies directing them not to use air-conditioners and coolers between 6.30 pm and 10.30 pm, the peak hours for power consumption. Later, we want to implement the same in government offices,” Vidyasagar added. If properly enforced, the steps are likely to ease pressure to some extent and ensure uninterrupted power supply to residential and small-scale industrial sectors. “The decision has been taken by the department in view of acute shortage of power due to a sharp rise in demand. The city usually faces a deficit of around 700 megawatts during every summer, but this year the shortage has touched 1000 mw,” he said. There are about 30 lakh residential connections in the Greater Hyderabad limits and more than one lakh industrial connections - big, medium and small-scale. As of now, the ban is expected to remain in force till May-end. It could be further extended depending on the then prevailing situation

By Mouli Mareedu