PSPCL suffers aftershocks of electricity grid failure
Monday, 13/08/2012
http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx
PATIALA: The grid failure, which not only drew criticism for Punjab for overdrawing power, has also affected the financial health of the state as the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited is spending on an average Rs 10 crore daily to buy power on dayahead basis as restrictions have been imposed on power transmission capacity after the recent grid failure.
Due to restrictions, Punjab is unable to draw almost 600 MW of power from outside, thus either it is imposing power cuts or buying power on day-ahead basis at steep prices from the Northern Region. In recent days, the Punjab has even bought power at Rs 7 per unit to meet its demand.
Though the Northern Grid is working fine, the Western Grid has imposed restrictions and Punjab has power purchase agreement or power banking agreements with most of the western states, thus it is unable to draw power, said a Northern Regional Load Dispatch Centre official. Punjab has Power Purchase Agreement with Adani Power (500 MW) apart from power banking arrangements with public and private generation companies in western India.
"Due to restriction, our supply has been affected. We are unable to draw the power we had bought. It's almost 600 MW. Against a sanctioned drawl limit of 5,100 MW, we are able to draw only 4,300 to 4,500 MW. Restriction imposed by the NRLDC and Western Grid has affected our power flow from Western to Northern Grid," said KD Chaudhary, chairman, PSPCL.
PSPCL director distribution AK Verma said, "Punjab is paying the cost of restrictions and to meet the demand, PSPCL is buying 180 to 200 lakh units on day-ahead basis, by shelling out an average of Rs 10 crore for the past few days. We have requested the NRLDC to sort out the issue at the earliest."
"In all, the restriction has undercut our drawl by almost 700 MW," said Verma. Adani Power, which has signed PPA of supplying 500 MW to PSPCL, has managed to supply only 150 MW. And that too by arranging power from Himachal.
