Minister refutes Kejriwal’s claims of power cuts in national capital
Power Minister Ashish Sood on Friday dismissed Arvind Kejriwal’s allegations of power cuts in Jagatpur Extension, stating that the electricity supply in the area has already been improved and the reported disruption was a minor and localised issue.
Sood assured that the government has been actively monitoring the power situation since taking charge. Delhi’s peak power demand is expected to reach 9,000 MW this summer. To ensure stability, the government has reviewed the power purchase agreements of all DISCOMs and instructed the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) to reassess them under Section 108.
To prevent major outages, the Delhi government has set up a 24x7 control room to handle electricity-related issues. Additionally, a joint control room with Delhi Transco Limited (DTL) and DISCOMs has been established to monitor power loads in real time.
“This system will help identify overburdened feeders, prevent asset damage and allow for load redistribution to maintain an uninterrupted power supply,” Sood explained.
He said if needed, the government has sought permission from the Centre to procure electricity from the unshared power schedule to meet rising demand.
Dismissing Kejriwal’s claims of prolonged outages in Burari, Sood said officials had been dispatched to verify the ground reality. He accused Kejriwal of spreading misinformation and stated that his aides were withholding crucial data from him.
“Kejriwal has never actively managed any department and is unaware of the ground situation. His claims do not match the data from the State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC), which monitors all power grids in Delhi,” he asserted.
Sood also targeted AAP leader Atishi Marlena, claiming that she was forced to defend Kejriwal due to her party position. Presenting statistical data on power disruptions, Sood revealed that in January 2025 alone, Delhi recorded 3,278 instances of power cuts. He challenged Kejriwal’s assertion that there were no outages during his tenure, highlighting that power failures occurred throughout his government’s rule.
“During the AAP government’s tenure, there were long power outages every month. In January 2024, there were 2,660 outages, followed by 2,881 in February, 2,745 in March, 1,567 in April, and 676 in May. The numbers show the reality of the power situation under Kejriwal’s administration,” Sood said.
He also clarified that planned outages occur annually as part of seasonal maintenance work conducted by BSES and Tata DISCOMs, ensuring uninterrupted power in peak months.
The minister accused Kejriwal and AAP of playing politics over power supply to create panic among Delhi residents.
“Instead of misleading the public, Kejriwal should look at the data. The electricity situation is being handled efficiently, and our focus is on ensuring a stable power supply for Delhiites,” he concluded.
