Durgapur, March 31: Bengal is likely to reel under power cuts in scorching April and May despite power minister Mrinal Banerjee’s promise that the summer of 2008 will be power cut-free.

Power department officials said the main reason for the impending crisis was the delay in full-scale generation by the new units that were scheduled to start running last year itself.

“We hope the situation will improve after the new units at Sagardighi, Santaldih, Bakreswar and Durgapur begin generation in full swing,” the minister said after opening a 300MW Durgapur Projects Ltd (DPL) unit today.

However, “full-swing” operation at none of the plants is likely to begin before June.

The evening peak-hour demand this summer has be-en estimated at 4,700MW, over 500MW more than last year.

According to a West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company official, Calcutta is likely experience a 100MW shortfall everyday. That roughly translates into an hour’s power cut on any given day.

The situation is likely to turn worse if the central power suppliers such as the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) scale down supply.

In the districts, the shortfall is expected to hover around 300MW during the evening peak hour.

The best hope of relief could be in prayers for Nor’westers.

“They are a blessing,” an official said. “The storm and rain pull down temperatures and bring down the demand for power.”

This evening, for example, CESC had expected a shortfall of 100MW in Calcutta and its adjoining areas.

After a squall, the deficit was less than 20MW and there was hardly any power cut, an official said.

The government had announced in 2006 that there would be a capacity addition of 1570MW by May 2007. Among the new units were two 210MW units in Bakreswar, a 250MW unit at Santaldih, two 300MW units at Sagardighi and a 300MW unit at DPL.

Among these, three units at Sagardighi, Santaldih, and Bakreswar have started generation but on a very low scale.

“These units are yet to begin commercial operations. So, it will be almost impossible to avoid power cuts in April and May,” a power department official said.

The new DPL unit could take longer to begin commercial operations.

The West Bengal Power Development Corporation, which manages the state-run power plants, said the situation would improve from mid-April, when a 300MW unit at Sagardighi goes into the commercial mode.

“We’ve already coal-fired the Santaldih unit, where we expect to go full steam by August,” said corporation managing director S. Mahapatra.

A power department official said the central power plants were supplying less than usual, adding to the crisis.

“Last year, we received about 800MW on an average during the evening peak hours. This year, we have not received more than 400MW.”

Minister Banerjee laid the foundation stone for another 300MW unit at DPL.