Ladakh is experiencing bone-biting cold wave conditions as the temperature in the entire region is hovering below sub-zero level.
The temperature in some places like Nyoma on the Indo-China Border is constantly falling. The minimum temperature has dipped up to minus 17 Degree Celsius. Brief spell of snowfall in the early morning today will further intensify the cold wave. It is the season’s first snowfall in the Leh area.
For the last three days, the overcast weather with no sunshine has drastically reduced the discharge of water in the water bodies resulting in low generation of power locally. The intense cold wave also disrupted the Water Supply due to freezing in the pipeline.
On the other side, the Power demand which exponentially increased from 22 MW to 43 MW in the Northern Grid places, is being met through import of power from the Northern Grid to ensure power supply interrupts as most of areas of Ladakh is connected through the 220 KV transmission of Northern Grid.
The prevailing cold wave has not only affected the normal life of the people but also become a cause of concern for authorities in achieving full generation of power from hydel projects due to low discharge of water in the water bodies.
Akashvani’s correspondent reports that power supply in unconnected Northern Grid of villages is providing through alternative sources of power. Public Health Department Engineering ensures water supply through water tankers.
The freezing of the hydraulic power canal of several micro hydrogen which operates on run of rivers or streams has been temporarily shutdown. PDD runs 1.5 MW Igoo- Martselang hydel projects and Ladakh Renewal Energy Development Agency runs micro hydrogen power projects in villages like 450 KW Chamshen projects, 500 KW Turtuk, 600 KW Hanachey and 800 KW Chulungkha have temporarily shutdown to maintain the plant in good condition.