DGVCL Rolls Back 8-Hour Power Cut Order, Bringing Relief to Surat Industries

Surat: The Dakshin Gujarat Vij Company Limited (DGVCL) has withdrawn the staggered power-cut arrangement for industrial feeders across South Gujarat with immediate effect, providing relief to industries facing production disruptions ahead of Diwali.

Under the revised directive, electricity supply to industrial feeders will continue uninterrupted, cancelling the scheduled eight-hour power cuts from 4 pm to midnight that were introduced to manage the state’s power supply. The decision follows representations from industry associations highlighting production losses, rising operating costs and delays in fulfilling festive orders.

The restrictions had severely affected Surat’s textile industry, with processing mills and weaving units reporting higher operating costs, production disruptions and concerns over delayed deliveries during the festive season.

According to industry estimates cited by representatives, around 400 to 450 textile processing mills have incurred additional expenditure of ₹40 crore to ₹50 crore on generator operations over four weeks to maintain production during power cuts. This translates into an average additional burden of around ₹10 lakh per mill. The weaving sector has also reported substantial losses due to production disruptions, with estimates suggesting losses of ₹15 crore to ₹20 crore in a single day across the textile supply chain.

Gujarat, traditionally a power-surplus state, has been facing supply constraints due to unexpectedly high electricity demand this month, with industrial consumers bearing the brunt of the restrictions.

Industry representatives said the scheduled cuts had disrupted production at a critical time, as manufacturers were working to complete Diwali orders, dispatch consignments and arrange wages and bonuses for workers.

Ashok Jirawala, president of the Federation of Gujarat Weavers Association, said the industry was facing difficulties amid higher input costs and subdued market demand. He said Surat’s weaving sector had around 45,000 to 48,000 operational units and required a reliable power supply to maintain production quality and meet delivery schedules.

Jitu Vakharia, president of the South Gujarat Textile Processors Association, said the additional cost of running generators was putting severe pressure on processing mills. He also pointed to rising prices of crude oil, coal and dyeing chemicals amid international tensions, saying the combination of higher costs and power restrictions had made business increasingly difficult.

Industrialists had also warned that the scheduled cuts would disrupt production, particularly in units operating night shifts and overtime. Industry associations subsequently approached the state government and the Energy Department, seeking an immediate rollback of the restrictions.

Following these representations, the authorities withdrew the staggered power-cut arrangement with immediate effect, restoring uninterrupted electricity supply to industrial feeders and offering relief to manufacturers during the crucial pre-Diwali production period. DeshGujarat