May 9th, 2008 
krishna Summers are here and like yester years, once again entire nation is all set to face power cuts. One of the major shortcomings of our system in this season. This would apparently add to the other existing problems during the season like water shortage, mosquitoes, malaria & dengue. With a joint venture of NTPC-SAIL commissioned in Bhilai in the month of April for an added 250 mega watt of supply. We are yet to see the months of June and July when the heat would be at its peak. God knows what would be situation. Though the Power minister said that the government has a target of adding 335 MW of power for the month of May. Government is monitoring closely the targets of May to ensure there should be no backlogs. Officials acknowledged that for yet another month power generation is set to fall short which raises concerns about the ever widening gap of demand and supply of power levels. The government though set a 310 mega watt capacity in addition to the existing levels for the month of April itself. It is however reported that there would be shortage of about 60 mega watts as the Tamil Nadu based power plant which is to run on gas is delayed. It is suspected that it would not be commissioned till the first week of May. Almost every government failed to meet the capacity addition targets for the past three five year plan periods which left the country with acute power shortage. In the year 2008-09, the government intends to add nearly 12000 MW and more than 78000MW during the 11th Plan (2007-2011). Contrary to this the experts are of the view that only 60000 MW can be added looking at the past performance. In past 3 plans in last 15 years (From the 8th to the 10th Plan) the government has added merely 56722MW which is in fact 50% of what was planned. So in the next five years government is looking to achieve what has not been done in the last decade and a half.
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