Despite frequent “maintenance works” undertaken by power utilities, residents across Bengaluru continue to face repeated outages and voltage fluctuations.
Almost every week, multiple areas are notified of scheduled power cuts, often from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. or longer, cited as emergency works by Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) and Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM). However, residents question what these maintenance works are addressing, pointing out that even light rain or minor disruptions can trigger power cuts multiple times a day.
This comes even as Bengaluru continues to account for nearly half a share of the State’s electricity demand. As per data available as of March end, Karnataka’s peak demand stands at 17,705 MW, with the BESCOM alone accounting for 8,870 MW. Among other distribution companies, HESCOM recorded 3,077 MW, followed by CESC at 2,613 MW, MESCOM at 1,738 MW, and GESCOM at 1,406 MW.
Not power cuts
While residents say scheduled outages have become more frequent, with power supply affected every few days across localities, officials maintain that most instances are not “power cuts” but brief interruptions caused by faults in lines that are promptly attended to. They maintained that there is “no shortage” of power.
