MANGALORE : The Udupi Power Corporation Ltd (erstwhile Nagarjuna) which has set foot in the district with a promise to provide more electricity to the coastal region, may not help much in mitigating the power shortage facing the district. It has been learnt that the MESCOM would be securing only 8.5 per cent of the total power generated in the plant. The MESCOM is responsible for distribution of power in undivided DK and some parts of Chikmagalur.
According to sources, the UPCL power will be distributed to BESCOM (58%), HESCOM-GESCOM (10 -12%) and MESCOM (8.5). Even Udupi MP Sadananda Gowda is unhappy with this power distribution plan and said the district has to secure full quota of power supply from UPCL which has been set up using local resources.
“The locals have provided land to this amid much opposition. Still if power is not provided to this region, there naturally would arise opposition. I do not say that the power from UPCL should be given only to Mangalore and Udupi. Even Chikmagalur and Shimoga should benefit from the plant,†he added.
He said he had already discussed the matter with Yeddyurappa and has received a favourable reply. Now that the UPCL has started power generation on an experimental basis, the matter would be once again taken up with the Chief Minister, he added.
The 1200 mw capacity plant at Nandikur would generate 600 mw of power by May end and the remaining 600 mw by August. There are a total of 16000 power consumers in DK , Udupi, Chikmagalur and Shimoga districts.
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