• Adequate Power Available To Meet Demand During The Summer of 2017, Union Power Ministry

    There is no shortage of power and India’s generation resource is adequate to meet the country’s power demand during this summer season, provided states buy enough power which is available, senior power ministry officials said after a high level review on Friday.

    With rising temperatures, already at 4-6 degrees higher above normal during March, the Union Ministry of Power undertook a review of the power supply position in the country, especially the northern region, and preparedness of various power utilities during the forthcoming summer season. The meeting was chaired by Mr P.K. Pujari, Secretary, Power and attended by representatives from State Governments, India Meteorological Department (IMD), CEA, POSOCO, various Regional and State Load dispatch Centres (RLDCs/SLDCs).

    Based on IMD’s report, it was observed that temperatures would be above normal during the March–May 2017. IMD on 27th March 2017 had noted that the temperature during the last week of March was 4–6 degrees above normal, constituting heat wave conditions in many areas.

    During Friday’s meeting, the present prevailing power demand and the projections were reviewed for each state, region and an All India basis.

    It was observed that while the power demand in Northern Region would peak to the extent of 56 GW during April to Sep 2017 period, the demand in Southern region has already peaked to 42 GW while Western Region has touched 50 GW and expected to reduce to 46 GW between April–June. The All India peak demand during the summer is expected to be of the order of 165 GW.

    Officials said that it was noted in the meeting that generation resource was adequate during the period considering enough coal fired capacity available in the country.

    It was noted that the state utilities of Northern region are required to face the dust storm and thunderstorm related disturbances in the electricity grid during April–June period which often caused 6–7 GW reduction in load. They utilities were advised to coordinate generation reduction in such cases so that the disturbances in the grid are minimized.

    The State of Uttar Pradesh was advised to augment the intra state transmission systems expeditiously as the shortages reported by the State were primarily on account of lack of the necessary transmission & distribution infrastructure within the state.

    Principal Secretary, Energy, Government of Delhi informed that the transmission constraints within Delhi system is being resolved. However, there is a need to maintain generation in Badarpur TPS and ensure gas supply to the combined cycle gas stations within Delhi till then. Jammu & Kashmir was also advised undertake planned sub–transmission & distribution system within the state.

    Given that there is a fall in reservoir levels in Southern Region compared to last year, leading to 700 MU reduction in energy content as on date, the meeting note that certain states may experience constraints due to limitations in the transmission and distribution network at the intra-state level. To combat the same, the State utilities were advised to complete the transmission systems in the pipeline.

    Further, considering the past instances of transmission tower collapses, the state utilities were advised to keep Emergency Restoration Systems (ERS) ready. CEA would monitor the availability of ERS across different state utilities and transmission licensees. It was also decided that POSOCO and the SLDCs would work closely with IMD for getting tailor made forecasts/web based weather information for better planning and reliability of supply. Jaromir Jagr Womens Jersey

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