Patiala, June 14 -- As temperatures soar due to the ongoing heatwave, residents across Punjab are facing power outages ranging from one to two hours, with some areas experiencing even longer disruptions. Despite Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) denying any "scheduled power cuts," the state is struggling to meet the surging demand for electricity, both in urban and rural areas. Residents in several cities, including Mohali, have expressed their frustration over unscheduled power cuts. In Mohali, protests broke out on the streets, with people demanding a resolution to the ongoing power crisis. Sanam, a resident from the Hira Nagar area in Patiala, shared her inconvenience: "There was a power cut in our area from 3.30pm to 6.15pm on Friday. This unscheduled outage disrupted our daily routine, and we weren't informed in advance." Rakesh Kumar, a resident of Sirhindi Bazar in Patiala, said: "Over the past few days, power outages have become frequent. It's especially difficult for children in this extreme heat without electricity." In Ludhiana, the situation has been particularly severe. Avneet Kaur, a resident of G Block in SBS Nagar, shared her struggles: "Our area has faced power outages lasting up to eight hours, with frequent voltage fluctuations due to transformer tripping. On Tuesday night, the power was cut from 10pm to 6am, and the night before, it was from 9pm to 2am. Despite filing complaints with the PSPCL helpline, the issue remains unresolved." Priya Dubey, a resident of Sikandar Colony in Ludhiana, echoed similar concerns. "For the past four days, our locality has faced frequent power outages lasting two to three hours, particularly in the afternoons and evenings. Even though the PSPCL app shows normal supply, we continue to have no electricity. The helpline is always busy, making it impossible to register a complaint." "There have been no scheduled power cuts across the state. We have managed to meet the rising power demand. However, some cities have experienced power faults due to equipment failure. These issues are common during peak summer," said a spokesperson of the PSPCL. With power demand soaring to 16,000 MW on Friday morning, PSPCL is operating close to its maximum generation capacity of 16,800 MW, leading to controlled outages in several parts of the state. Experts suggest that though the power demand typically increases by 1,000 to 1,500 MW during the afternoon, it has remained relatively steady, indicating that PSPCL is using rotational power cuts to keep consumption within the system's limits. A senior PSPCL official said: "To prevent overloading and damage to transformers, power demand has been regulated between 15,900 to 16,400 MW throughout the day." The ongoing power issues are compounded by infrastructure challenges and staffing shortages. A senior PSPCL official said: "The rapid growth in domestic connections, especially in high-rise buildings, has outpaced the necessary upgrades to the power infrastructure. Transformers are overloaded, and to prevent further damage, feeders are being shut down in rotation." PSPCL officials confirmed that some feeders (11 KV) have been deliberately switched off in certain areas to prevent transformer damage due to excessive power consumption. Furthermore, officials familiar with the matter said staff shortage, with more than 60% of technical posts vacant, exacerbating the crisis. "The lack of sufficient staff to attend to local faults adds to the frustration of the residents," a senior official said....