Power Cut to 600 Million Indians

Posted on Jul 31, 2012

bandarji (CC BY 2.0)

The power failure raises concerns about India’s aging infrastructure.

For the two-thirds of India’s people who can afford to power their homes, a second blackout in a week spread hardship and anxiety to half the country when electricity grids in the 13 states in the north and northeastern regions collapsed.

The country’s northern grid failed twice for several hours on Tuesday and was followed by blackouts elsewhere. The north and eastern grids serve about 600 million people combined—more people than live in the entire European Union.

In addition to the immediate threat to hospitals and homes, unreliable power systems threaten India’s ambitions to become a regional economic superpower.

—Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.

The Associated Press at The Guardian:

India’s demand for electricity has soared along with its economy in recent years, but utilities have been unable to meet the growing needs. India’s Central Electricity Authority reported power deficits of more than 8% in recent months.

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