Days after taking over as chairman and managing director of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), Gurkirat Kirpal Singh said the corporation was undertaking major initiatives to strengthen the state’s transmission network amid rising electricity demand.He also said efforts were under way to recover more than Rs 2,500 crore pending from various government departments.In a first formal interaction after assuming charge, Singh said PSPCL’s focus would not be limited to increasing power generation. Strengthening the transmission network was equally important to ensure grid stability and efficient distribution of available power, he said.His remarks come against the backdrop of a record high in power demand during the paddy season. Punjab’s power demand touched 17,500 MW and continued to stay above 16,500 MW for many days.“The situation arising from the extraordinary increase in electricity demand during the recent period was not confined to Punjab, but additional pressure was witnessed on the power system in several parts of the country”, said the CMD.“Weather conditions associated with the El Niño effect and the rise in temperatures led to a sharp increase in electricity demand, resulting in additional pressure on power demand and supply management across the country”, he added, claiming, “It would not be appropriate to view this situation as being limited to Punjab alone”.“Our objective is to ensure that along with the increasing electricity demand in Punjab, our generation, transmission and distribution capacities are also strengthened as per requirements, so that reliable and uninterrupted power supply can be ensured to consumers,” Singh said.On matters concerning pensioners, the CMD said they were an important part of the PSPCL family and that resolving their genuine grievances in a timely manner was the corporation’s responsibility.He further said, “If a consumer’s problem comes to our notice through the media, we should not treat it merely as a news report and move on; rather, we should see it as an opportunity to resolve the problem.”The CMD said PSPCL’s primary objective was to further strengthen a consumer-centric, transparent and accountable power system.He added that the corporation would maintain continuous and effective coordination with the media to understand and resolve public issues promptly.