The Operations and Maintenance division of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has announced power curtailment for industries in Ludhiana city, Miller Ganj, Mandi Gobindgarh, Khanna and Mohali from 7 pm to 12 am, until further instructions. The decision has been taken in view of a shortage of power caused by the outage of generating units at the Lehra Mohabbat and Ropar thermal power plants and the unavailability of units at the Ranjit Sagar Dam (RSD) project. PSPCL has stated that the measure is aimed at managing the power situation in the interest of grid security.However, the decision has come as a major setback for the industrial sector. Industrialists have expressed concern that the scheduled power cuts will not only result in production losses but could also increase the risk of theft and robbery during the blackout hours.Federation of Industrial and Commercial Organisation (FICO) President Gurmeet Singh Kular has strongly opposed PSPCL’s decision to impose a five-hour power blackout on industries from 7 pm to 12 am until further instructions.Sore over the development, a delegation of industrialists met Punjab Power Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond and submitted a written memorandum, stating that blackouts were not a solution to the power shortage.“There is a high risk of theft and robbery during the fixed blackout hours, which is a serious safety concern for the industry. Since miscreants would be aware of the blackout timings, industrial units could become easy targets. Moreover, electricity is one of the most important raw materials for industry. Many manufacturing units operate night shifts to meet production schedules and export commitments. Such sudden power restrictions will severely disrupt production, increase manufacturing costs, delay deliveries and adversely affect the competitiveness of Punjab’s industries,” said Kular.On behalf of FICO, Kular urged the Punjab Government and Power Department to immediately review and withdraw the night-time power restrictions imposed on industries. The organisation appealed for an uninterrupted power supply, stating that reliable electricity is essential for sustaining industrial growth, boosting exports and maintaining Punjab’s industrial competitiveness.The dyeing industry has also raised concerns over what it described as the “unjustified” announcement by PSPCL.“The state government claims to have surplus power, while free electricity is being provided to domestic consumers who consume less than 300 units a month. How is it justified that free power is provided to some consumers while industries are being deprived of electricity?” asked Bobby Jindal of Punjab Dyers Association.The president of World MSME Forum also condemned the state government for imposing what he termed “autocratic” restrictions on industry.Many industries operate continuous manufacturing processes in which machinery and equipment cannot simply be switched off and restarted without significant technical and financial consequences. Industries operating furnaces, heat-treatment plants, continuous production lines and other temperature-sensitive processes are likely to be particularly affected by the power curtailment.“PSPCL and the Punjab Government must immediately reconsider this decision and ensure an uninterrupted power supply to continuous-process industries. If power management is unavoidable, a suitable alternative arrangement should be made for industries where shutting down machinery and furnaces could result in technical, financial and quality-related losses. Punjab’s industrial growth and employment cannot afford repeated disruptions in power supply. The government must protect industry and ensure reliable and uninterrupted electricity for manufacturing,” said Jindal.Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings (CICU) has also condemned the state government’s new instructions imposing a five-hour power cut on industries.