Powercorp celebrates 100 years in city

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 11

It was on this day, hundred years ago, on December 11, 1915, that the Municipality Electricity Department received the first application for installation of an electricity connection. The applicant was none other than, then Deputy Commissioner CM King, who wanted a connection for the 19 lamps (32 watt each), four ceiling fans (110 watt each), nine plugs for table lamps for his camp office and two plugs for radiation of 500 watt each.

The records unearthed by the oldest office of the Electricity Department at Hall Gate show that the connection was sanctioned by first Chief Electrical Engineer HC Greenwood. The work order for the first connection was issued on February 8, 1916 and the applicant was asked to deposit Rs 55 towards release of the connection. In the past hundred years, the connected load has increased to 7,36,341 KW. Even the number of connections have gone up to 1,98,013.

At a function to mark the 100 anniversary of the Powercom here today, Deputy Chief Engineer SK Chawla said, “As per records preserved with the department, the electricity tariff in 1917 was eight anna per unit and rebate of 25 per cent was given if the consumer paid the bill on time.”

Chawla said the site on the Upper Bari Doab Canal, at which turbines were installed to generate electricity for the city in 1915, would be preserved under HRIDAY project. He said Rs 1.5 crore was sanctioned for the same.

Chawla said that after the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) took over the Municipality Electricity Department in 1995 it has come a long way. “Presently the work to revamp the entire electricity supply system at the cost of Rs 230 crore is underway. We are also getting the cable link between different 66 KW grid stations to ensure reliability of supply even if one station breaks down,” he added.