”Falling water levels → hydroelectric power cuts and high AT&C losses cause erratic electricity curtailment, defying scheduled relief for consumers.What adds to the power woes of consumers in Kashmir is a proposal for 20% hike in peak time tariff rates.”
As winter settles over Kashmir, the familiar darkness returns to thousands of homes across the Valley. The season that already tests people with freezing temperatures, has again made harsher by prolonged power cuts—despite repeated assurances of reliable supply. For ordinary residents, the curtailment is not just an annual inconvenience; it has become a symbol of a deeper disconnect between planning on paper and reality on the ground. Families across both metered and non-metered areas had hoped for uninterrupted electricity this winter. Instead, they wake each day unsure when the lights will go out next. Curtailment schedules, circulated with bureaucratic neatness, rarely reflect the actual suffering on the ground. The explanation is familiar: falling power generation from hydroelectric projects as water levels drop, coupled with high Aggregate Technical & Commercial (AT&C) losses. But these technical phrases offer little comfort to a student trying to study under a flickering bulb or an elderly person relying on room heating to get through a freezing night. Kashmir’s power consumers are grouped into three categories based on AT&C losses. Group A localities—where losses are between 0 and 15 percent—are promised no curtailment, covering about 254 feeders. Group B areas, facing 15 to 40 percent losses, undergo two hours of daily cuts. Group C zones, burdened with losses above 40 percent, face four hours of power cuts every day. Beyond these, 506 feeders across the Valley suffer more than six hours of curtailment, plunging entire neighbourhoods into darkness for a significant part of the day. But behind these neat classifications lie real people whose lives do not fit into spreadsheets. Power cuts affect a mother warming milk for her child at dawn, artisans depending on electric tools, shopkeepers trying to keep businesses afloat, and patients using electric medical equipment at home. Winter in Kashmir demands more electricity than any other season—heating rooms, warming water, ensuring children can study indoors. When electricity becomes unreliable, daily life becomes a struggle.
“Kashmir is facing another difficult winter with frequent power blackouts and a proposed 20% hike in peak time power tariffs. Despite the region contributing significantly to the power grid, residents are left without reliable electricity when they need it most and are forced to pay more. The author argues that Kashmiris deserve a reliable, humane, and low-tariff energy policy that prioritizes the impact of electricity on everyday lives, not just on technical metrics like megawatts and losses.”
The region’s massive hydro-power potential has often been seen as its biggest natural advantage. And yet, every winter, the story repeats: state-owned projects see a steep fall in generation as water levels recede, and the administration turns to power purchases from private companies to meet demand. This year, over 2,180 MW is being purchased from outside sources to cover the shortfall. Meanwhile, the combined generation of local hydro projects remains much lower than required—barely a fraction of what the Valley consumes during peak winter months. The public is often told that curtailment is necessary to prevent the system from collapsing under excessive load. But for many, this feels like an argument used to justify a cycle that has gone unbroken for decades. Despite widespread installation of smart meters, digital billing, and crackdowns on unauthorised connections, AT&C losses remain high in several pockets. The question arises: if technological solutions were supposed to stabilise supply and reduce theft, why do such large regions still fall under the highest-loss categories? Kashmir’s power crisis is not simply a technical problem—it is a human one. Solutions must place people at the centre. That means modernising creaking infrastructure, creating community awareness instead of relying solely on punitive measures, and investing seriously in winter-specific energy planning. Local renewable solutions, such as solar rooftops and hybrid systems, could reduce dependence on large grids. Transparent communication, realistic timelines, and public involvement can build trust where there is currently frustration. As another winter begins, Kashmiris once again brace themselves to navigate long hours without electricity amid announcement of a proposal for 20% hike in peak time power tariff rates. But it should not have to be this way. A region that contributes substantially to the power grid should not be left in the dark and forced to pay more amid frequent blackouts the time when it needs electricity the most. The people of Kashmir deserve a reliable, humane, and forward-looking energy policy with focus on low tariffs —After all Government is committed to recognise not just megawatts and losses, but the everyday lives illuminated or dimmed by the simple switch of a light.
