Is removal of Director (Generation), poor planning, delayed decisions, lack of coordination behind Punjab’s long power cuts?
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ April 23,2026
With the onset of summer, many parts of Punjab are reeling under prolonged power cuts, forcing residents to stage protests and gherao power grids across the state. The situation has worsened as the state power utility has announced extended outages over the next four to five days, even as the IMD has forecast a heat wave and temperatures continue to rise.
According to a notice issued by the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), long-duration electricity cuts will continue until April 26 in major cities, including Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Bathinda, and Patiala. PSPCL officials stated that the staggered schedule is intended to facilitate infrastructure upgrades.
Following public backlash, officials said that efforts would be made to minimize disruption and reduce outage durations from 8–10 hours to 3–4 hours.
However, some experts and former officials have raised concerns about the underlying causes. A retired senior engineer from PSPCL remarked, “This is the result of non-professional and absentee leadership. It is learnt that planning and day-to-day monitoring is being handled by non-technocrats, including MBAs who are without adequate experience in the power sector and are not governed by the powercom but by some outsiders.”
Another senior technocrat said “ no supply for such a long hours on daily basis with heat wave is on and so called system improvement schedule indicates grossly wrong planning for the short term power purchase also.”
Power sector expert Gurpreet noted, “The present government came to power with a promise of 300 units of free electricity for all, which was implemented immediately. However, after four years, the same ‘power’ issue is now causing public dissatisfaction. This is not a good sign for the management.”
On April 23, 2026, the state’s power demand reached 10,800 MW, which is 504 MW higher than the 10,296 MW recorded on April 23, 2025. Power supply this year on April 22,2026 stood at 1,956 lakh units (LU), compared to 1,823 LU on the same date last year.
Possible Reasons for This Year’s Long Power Outages
- Removal of Director (Generation):
An expert in power generation Er Harjit Singh was removed from the post of director generation on frivolous ground in November last year. It is alleged that Harjit Singh was made scapegoat and was removed prematurely for no fault. Even the high officials have signed for his suspension but he was removed from the post . He is the man who has managed last year power generation, run state power plants to their full capacity, purchased power on cheaper rates and no power cuts were imposed in the state despite all time high record of power consumption, just because of Er Harjit Singh full proof planning. He is removed when the planning for power purchase, banking, handling of next year issues are required.
This time the post of director generation is vacant and the charge is looking after by director distribution who is busy in managing the distribution network in the state.
- Alleged Absenteeism of CMD:
Staff members have alleged that the CMD, an IAS officer, has been largely absent from the PSPCL head office in Patiala for extended periods. This has reportedly slowed down decision-making, as key planning and execution functions are centralized at the headquarters. - Lack of Planning and Execution:
While PSPCL has attributed the outages to infrastructure upgrades, such works were traditionally completed between November and February/March, before peak summer demand. It is alleged that the current timing suggests gaps in planning and execution. - Global Factors (USA–Iran Conflict):
The ongoing tensions between the USA and Iran have reportedly affected gas supplies, impacting generation from gas-based power plants in India and increasing electricity prices in the open market. PSPCL has tie-ups with gas-based plants such as Pragati-III (Bawana), which may also be affected. - Lack of Coordination and Decision-Making:
Efficient power procurement requires coordination and trust between management and operational teams. It is alleged that fear and lack of confidence among officials are delaying timely decisions, especially in purchasing power from the open market. - Financial Constraints:
It is alleged that PSPCL is reportedly facing financial stress due to delayed payments from government departments. Additionally, issues during a billing software transition led to delays in raising bills and collecting revenue. These financial challenges may be limiting the utility’s ability to procure power from the market as it require the money.
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