Efforts for energy conservation by PSPCL in Punjab....by Manmohan Singh

Electricity is a national asset and humanity's invaluable gift. Today, a person can survive a day without food, but leading a comfortable life without electricity is not possible. Electricity plays a significant role in the development of any country or state. The consumption of electricity by citizens is often considered the central indicator of a state’s development.

 The shortage of electricity can be solved   either by increasing electricity generation or through its conservation. To increase power generation, new power projects have to be established, which require time for construction, financial resources, and various governmental approvals. However, electricity shortages can be bridged much faster through conservation.

     In India, December 14 is observed every year as National Energy Conservation Day. Under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) was established by the Government of India. Its primary objective is to develop policies, regulations, and create awareness at the national level on energy conservation. Across India, various state electricity utilities make continuous efforts to bridge the gap between electricity demand and supply.

                          Electricity conservation has become not just the need of the state or the country but a global necessity in present scenario. Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have also passed bills related to the conservation of electricity.

                                  Despite significant scientific developments in different sectors, no efficient large-scale system has yet been developed to store electricity to bridge the gap between electricity generation and consumption. If electricity storage technology is fully developed, consumers might never face power cuts, bringing about a major revolution in the power sector.

 Chief Engineer of the South Operation Zone, Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd., Er. Ratan Mittal, in a message on National Energy Conservation Day, appealed to citizens of the PUNJAB to save electricity for the bright future of coming generations. He stated that saving one unit of electricity is equivalent to generating 1.25 units. PSPCL supplies electricity to more than one crore consumers across Punjab. If every consumer in the PUNJAB  saves just one unit daily, the cumulative conservation would be immense—filling the demand gap, saving various resources, and strengthening the financial condition of consumers.

Chief Engineer, Energy Audit & Enforcement Wing, Er. Sarabjit Singh, shared that agricultural consumers were earlier permitted to use two 40-watt CFL bulbs for lighting in tubewell connections. Replacing these with LED bulbs results in nearly half the electricity consumption (approximately 22 watts saved). In the domestic sector, many households still use traditional 40, 60, and 100-watt bulbs.

Replacing these with LED bulbs and tubes can save almost 80% electricity. If about 14 lakh tubewell motors replace their two 40-watt CFL bulbs with two 9-watt LED bulbs, nearly 31 MW can be saved in the agricultural sector. If domestic consumers replace eight 40-watt traditional bulbs with eight 5-watt LED bulbs, approximately 2156 MW can be saved. Thus, the total saving in both sectors becomes 2187 MW. Establishing new power generation projects to meet this demand would cost around ₹15,309 crore. Therefore, it is the moral responsibility of all consumers to conserve electricity and contribute to the development of Punjab.

                                  According to Er. Saleem Muhammad, Deputy Chief Engineer, DSM, PSPCL, the DSM wing prepares quarterly and annual energy accounts of all DISCOM areas under PSPCL , which are then submitted to the Punjab Government and the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Ministry of Power, Government of India. Based on these evaluations, financial resources are allocated as per sector requirements. On March 1, 2023, PSPCL received a national award and certificate of appreciation from the Government of India for its outstanding performance. During PAT Cycle-2, PSPCL received 80,686 Energy Saving Certificates from the Ministry of Power. During the audit of PAT Cycle-7, PSPCL successfully achieved the targets set by BEE and is eligible for approximately 4183 Energy Saving Certificates.

Chief Engineer, Technical Audit & Inspection, Er. Inderjit Singh, stated that PSPCL regularly conducts awareness programs for consumers about electricity conservation, its importance, and the numerous benefits associated with saving energy. Paper reading competitions are organized across schools in Punjab to educate students on the importance and economic impact of electricity savings, and winners are honored.

                    In farmers’ meetings, agricultural consumers are encouraged through colorful printed materials to use quality shunt capacitors.

 PEDA (Punjab Energy Development Authority) also undertakes several initiatives to spread awareness about electricity conservation, including energy audit recommendations, promoting LED lighting, conducting seminars and workshops on energy saving, and efforts related to building codes. Special emphasis is also placed on conservation in the industrial sector.

 With the co-operation of domestic consumers, a significant amount of energy has already been saved through the use of quality electrical appliances and proper load management. As part of a major administrative initiative by the Punjab Government, from May 2 to July 15, 2023, all government office hours were shifted from 7:30 AM to 2:00 PM to reduce electricity consumption, resulting in considerable savings.

Detailed guidelines for electricity conservation are available on the PSPCL website, and by adopting these practices in daily life, consumers can contribute to build  a brighter  India.

​Chief Engineer of the South Operation Zone, Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd., Er. Ratan Mittal, in a message on National Energy Conservation Day, appealed to citizens of the PUNJAB to save electricity for the bright future of coming generations. He stated that saving one unit of electricity is equivalent to generating 1.25 units. PSPCL supplies electricity to more than one crore consumers across Punjab. If every consumer in the PUNJAB  saves just one unit daily, the cumulative conservation would be immense—filling the demand gap, saving various resources, and strengthening the financial condition of consumers.