Indore: Threat of power cuts looms large as the state’s capacity has fallen by 650 mw after six units in Madhya Pradesh have shut down for maintenance. The western region power distribution company is somehow managing to maintain supply by overdrawing power from the national grid. However, if the crisis persists, power cut will be unavoidable, according to officers in the western region company.

“We are overdrawing from the national grid. Though it costs more to us, there is not other option to cope with the dip in supplies”, chief engineer (commercial), western region power distribution company, Sanjay Mohase told DNA.

He informed that only 2 units were out of order but on Saturday evening four more power generation units were shut down. He, however, claimed there is no danger of power cuts as of now.

“Only at times of low frequencies short duration power cuts are resorted to for safety reasons,” Mohase added.

Power cut for half an hour was observed on Sunday in the entire western region due for safety reason.

Power company sources said even if power cut becomes unavoidable, urban areas will be spared as much as possible as tariffs are higher in urban areas, said sources in the power company.

Six units, which have been shut down, are 210 megawatt unit-9 at Sarani, unit number 3 of Amarkantak thermal power plant which has the capacity of 120 megawatt, unit number 3 to 5 of power plant at Sarani which have the capacity of power production of 62.5 megawatts each. Sources said that these power production units are old and will take time to recover and restart the production.