Coronavirus India: As States Raise Caution Over PM Modi's Lights-Out Call, Centre Allays Fears

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to turn off all the lights for nine minutes on Sunday, 9 pm, and light candles to show solidarity during India's fight against coronavirus has drawn concerns from several state electricity boards.

The state boards expressed concern that sudden mass power fluctuations could lead to power surges, and have issued guidelines to prevent blackouts.

The Power Ministry, however, has allayed these fears, saying the mass lights-out will not harm electrical appliances and that lights in hospitals and other essential services will remain on.

"Some apprehensions have been expressed that this may cause instability in the grid and fluctuation in voltage which may harm the electrical appliances. These apprehensions are misplaced," the Power Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The government also said there is no call to switch off street lights, computers or appliances such as TV sets, fans, refrigerators and air-conditioners in the homes. "Only lights should be switched off. The lights in hospitals and all other essential services like public utilities, municipal services, offices, police stations, manufacturing facilities, etc will remain on... All local bodies have been advised to keep the street lights on for public safety," the Power Ministry said.

Several state power boards have asked their workers to be on stand-by on Sunday evening with necessary back-up to handle the adverse impact, if any, during or after the voluntary blackout.

In Uttar Pradesh, the State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC), the top body that oversees the power system in the state, has asked officials to have load shedding in the state from 8 pm to 9 pm on Sunday in a staggered manner to avoid a power crash.

The SLDC in its letter asked the utilities to keep all the reactors of state grid in service while not keeping capacitor banks operational.

The letter states these instructions have been given in view of the call by the Prime Minister to switch off lights at 9 pm for nine minutes.

The Tamil Nadu power corporation too will have a staggered load-shedding in the state from 8 pm to 9 pm on Sunday. The corporation has asked its workers to be available at the headquarters from 8 pm to 10:30 pm on Sunday.

Maharashtra Energy Minister Nitin Raut has expressed similar concerns, also saying turning the lights off "can affect emergency services". "Do not turn off all the lights at the same time. We should rethink before switching off all the lights at the same time at our homes. This can lead to a grid failure and affect emergency services," Energy Minister Dr Nitin Raut said.

With several states expressing concern, central power regular POCOSO has advised them to use gas and hydro-power as a back-up. The power regulator has advised a gradual approach to the mass lights-out programme.

On Friday, PM Modi, in his third address to the nation in the last few weeks on COVID-19 pandemic, urged people across India to switch off their lights and hold candles, lamps and mobile flashlights at 9 pm on Sunday, for nine minutes in a nationwide show of solidarity with the coronavirus warriors.

India has reported over 2,900 cases of coronavirus and 68 deaths.