Chill sets in, power generation dips by 70%

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 21

Himachal faces a shortage of over 9 lakh units of electricity every day. This month, the power generation dropped by 70 per cent due to the onset of winter.

The board is now buying electricity from energy exchange to meet the increasing demand of power. “It is also getting power from its banking sources as per its bilateral agreements,” said sources.

Himachal needs more than 265 lakh units of electricity daily, with the demand hitting 1,300 lakh units in the morning when the consumption is maximum due to winter chill.

“The state is producing 125 lakh units daily, gets 76 lakh units from its 12 per cent free share from different power projects and is getting about 82 lakh units from banking from Delhi, UP and Haryana daily,” said power engineers.

“We face a shortage of 9 lakh units and are getting power from the energy exchange at the rate varying between Rs 2.50 and Rs 3 per unit to meet the every day demand,” said managing director, HPSEBL. “Due to the onset of winter, power generation in all hydropower projects has dropped by 70 per cent,” he added.

The worst-hit are the people living in remote parts of Chopal and Dodra Kwar in Shimla, inner and outer Seraj in Kullu, Kinnaur, Kilar and Bharmour in Chamba, where long power cuts are imposed during the peak hours.

The storage dams project, 1,320 MW Bhakra and 990 MW Dehar powerhouse, 800 MW Kol Dam, Chamera I, II, III and HPSEBL-run 126 MW Larji projects are producing power averaging from 30 to 40 per cent these days. “We can store water for the peak demand. The storage dams come handy as compared to river projects, which do not store water in lean winter months,” said the power engineers. The generation of electricity at the 1,500 MW NJPC, Kinnaur, Rampur, Parbati in Kullu has witnessed about 70 per cent drop as the discharge in the Sutlej and Beas has gone down by 70 per cent due to the freezing of glaciers that feed the rivers.

Negi said the board was getting power through banking arrangements with the neighbouring states and there were no power cuts in the state. “The water discharge recedes in winter as the glaciers are freezing in the Himalayas, the main source of the snow-fed rivers that run the power projects,” he added.

Power outages in remote areas

• The state is producing 125 lakh units daily, gets 76 lakh units from its 12 per cent free share from different power projects and is getting about 82 lakh units from Delhi, UP and Haryana daily
• Due to the onset of winter, power generation in all hydropower projects has dropped by 70 per cent
• The worst-hit are the people living in remote parts of Chopal and Dodra Kwar in Shimla, inner and outer Seraj in Kullu, Kinnaur, Kilar and Bharmour in Chamba, where long power cuts are imposed during the peak hours