Calcutta, July 24: The power situation in the city and the districts worsened today with the combined shortfall in the evening peak hours shooting up to 975MW.

A shortage of 225MW in the city caused power cuts for two to three hours.

The districts endured more with seven to eight hours of darkness.

Yesterday, the combined shortfall in the CESC and the State Electricity Distribution Company areas was 765MW.

In the city, the situation deteriorated because of the collapse of a 60MW unit at the Titagarh plant, coupled with low supply from the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited.

Power department officials said after rain in mid-June, generation had slumped because the coal stocks in the open cast mines of Easter Coalfields became wet. Also, a 210MW Bandel unit was shut down for repairs last Saturday. Yesterday, a 210MW unit in Kolaghat was closed after a tube leak in its boiler.