THE Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) has asked the Capital's power distribution companies (discoms) to take measures to bridge the gap between demand and supply. The move is expected to nip the threat of power cuts, which looms large over Delhi with the approaching summer, in the bud itself. For the record, the Capital's plants have a combined installed capacity of 1,699.5 MW, and on a good day generate up to 1,400 MW. The 1 peak demand in 2007 was 4,060 MW. With discoms entering bilateral agreements with power surplus states, the summer season will find ' Delhi heavily dependent on other states to meet its energy demands. The anticipated demand for power in the 1st fortnight of June is likely to be 4,400 MW this year. In a letter sent out to discoms and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), the DERC acknowledged the efforts made by them to bridge the demand-supply gap by way of reducing Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses and procuring power from various sources. Yet, the letter highlighted, the discoms need to take some serious steps to reduce the gap further by adopting various energy conservation methods. Clearly, the shortfall in the power generation sector is something that has had DERC worried for quite some time. It was one of the major issues under discussion while they were processing the multi-year tariff petitions submitted by the discoms. "The petitions suggested discoms to promote conservation of energy, energy audit and efficient use of electricity in their areas of supply," said a Delhi government official. "In order to do so, they should increase awareness and educate consumers about energy conservation. Once the consumers realise that fheir.bills cquld be reduced by making optimum use of energy, they would be more willing to take energy conservation seriously," he said. In a meeting scheduled to be held on April 9 this year, the DERC will discuss this issue with the discoms' representatives, who have been advised to make a presentation on how they propose to deal with the situation. The DERC has also asked the government of National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi to constitute district level committees to promote efficient use and conservation of energy in Delhi.