400 MW bought by PSPCL at Rs 12.40/unit

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, July 8

As the power demand continued to surge across the state today, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) purchased 400 MW from the open market at a staggering Rs 12.40 per unit, one of the highest rates in recent times.

Punjab has already purchased Rs 550 crore worth of electricity to meet a massive shortfall in supply to consumers, including industry and agriculture sector feeders.

Senior PSPCL officials said the powercom was buying around Rs 12-25 crore worth of power every day from outside. “This means around 550 crore of power has already been purchased this season, but the demand is still more than the supply and the industrial sector is facing a forced power shutdown till July 11,” said an official.

PSPCL CMD A Venu Prasad said the state was witnessing an all-time high power demand during the ongoing paddy season amid delayed arrival of monsoon.

“Power availability is also on the lower side this season due to low dam reservoir levels, resulting in a drop in hydro-power generation by 600 MW. Already a unit of Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd (TSPL) has been shut due to a turbine breakdown, while another unit has developed a snag. Another is operating at half its capacity due to some technical issue. This has resulted in a shortfall of 2,200 MW,” he said. In addition to the existing arrangements, the PSPCL purchased 400 MW of extra power from the open market at Rs 12.40 per unit on July 8. “A total 1,400 MW power was purchased on Thursday at an exchange rate of 5.46 per unit,” said Prasad.

In a relief, however, on the request of the state government, the National Load Dispatch Centre has agreed to enhance the transmission limit to 8,000/8,600 MW from 6 pm till 9 am due to the outage of TSPL units. Last year, the import limit was 6,500 MW. The PSPCL is utilising this limit by drawing maximum possible power to improve the supply.

The installed capacity of the PSPCL from all sources is 13,845 MW, of which 9,000 MW is currently being generated. A key reason for lower generation was the failure of TSPL units.

Rs 5,700 cr given to firms for no power

• The PSPCL has paid Rs 20,000 crore as fixed charges to three private thermal plants installed during SAD-BJP regime. Of these, Rs 5,700 crore have been paid without getting any power
• There is no provision in the PPA for penalty if they do not supply power even for a long period during the peak summer/paddy season, says a PSPCL official, adding the only hope now is arrival of monsoon

Experts differ

• A former chief engineer said hydel generation was low by 100-125 MW, not 600 MW, as PSPCL’s own as well as national plants were generating at normal capacity
• “Only BBMB’s generation is less by 125 MW. Moreover, the dams’ levels were already known well in advance. The fact that Tata Mundra (Gujarat) thermal plant is supplying 200 MW less is not being highlighted,” he said