Calcutta, Jan. 9: Power cuts plunged large parts of Bengal into darkness again this evening.

In Calcutta, the deficit was 180MW. It was worse in the districts where the shortfall was about 580MW.

The power cuts ranged from one-and-a-half hours to two-and-a-half in the city and its suburbs. They lasted several hours in the districts.

The crisis was first felt last evening after a 210MW unit at Bandel collapsed. The CESC’s 250MW Budge Budge plant and a 210MW unit in Kolaghat had already been shut down for overhauling.

Central power plants supplied about 600MW less than usual today.

The Power Development Corporation Ltd, which runs the state-owned plants, held out hope for the weekend. “We expect the Bandel unit to start generation tomorrow and hope to start the Kolaghat unit,” said managing director S. Mahapatra.

A power department official, however, said: “Power cuts won’t end unless the new plants at Sagardighi, Santaldih and Bakreswar start generation in February.”