Haryana Power Utilities not surrendering power of NTPC Jhajjar Plant: Power Department, Haryana
Author(s): SK VyasChandigarh, December 28, 2015: The Power Department, Haryana has strongly contradicted the news which appeared in section of Press that Haryana Power Utilities are surrendering power of NTPC Jhajjar Plant in order to...
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Dec 28, 2015 10:30
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Chandigarh, December 28, 2015: The Power Department, Haryana has strongly contradicted the news which appeared in section of Press that Haryana Power Utilities are surrendering power of NTPC Jhajjar Plant in order to benefit some other States.
A spokesman of Power Department stated that such decisions are taken in overall public interest and for reducing the cost of supply of power to the consumers of the State.
The spokesman further stated that more than enough quantity of power is available in the State. All segments of consumers are being supplied power in accordance with the approved schedule which is 24 hours power supply to urban areas and to industry, 8 hours power supply to the agriculture sector and 12 hours power supply to rural domestic consumers. Haryana Power Utilities have enough power to satisfy the requirement of all consumers even during the peak consumption season i.e. summer.
Highlighting this fact further, the spokesman stated that during the period from 1st April to 30th November, 2,99,917 LUs were supplied in the year 2013, 3,25,787 LUs in 2014 and 3,22,971 LUs in 2015. Further, for the summer season-2016, arrangements have been made for supplying power taking into account 10% growth in demand. Demand in 2015 did not grow much due to well-spread rains.
The spokesman termed the news appearing in the press completely misleading because Haryana has contracted capacity of 11,267MW from different power sources, most of which are Central Government sources and remaining are Independent Power Producers and State’s own Power Company HPGCL. The State’s own generation capacity is 3,230MW. The power demand of the State varies from season to season. In the current winter season, the peak and off peak hour demand is fluctuating between 3,200 MW to 6,400 MW. During the peak season of September, 2015, the average off peak demand was 6,500 MW and peak demand was 8,500 MW. Thus, even during the peak season, huge generation capacity remained idle because there was no demand.
He stated that while contracting generation capacity it has to be agreed that regardless of actual scheduling of power, the fixed charges would be borne by the DISCOMs. DISCOMs of Haryana are bearing thousands of crores of rupees of fixed charges against the excess contracted power. This is resulting in increase in tariff on the consumers as well as loss to the DISCOMs.
In order to reduce losses and to bring down cost of power for the consumers, it has been decided to surrender the idle capacity of the expensive power contracted by the Power Utilities. In this direction, it has been decided to shut down old inefficient Units No. I to IV of Panipat Thermal Power Station which were virtually lying boxed up for the last many years. Similarly, it has been decided to surrender 693 MW of Aravali NTPC Jhajjar Power for a period of one year which is causing fixed expenses of Rs 830 crore per annum.
This will help reduce the cost of power to DISCOMs. At the same time sufficient power is being made available so that power supply to the consumers as per schedule is not affected at all. Similar decision has been taken by Government of Delhi in respect of Aravali NTPC Jhajjar in which they have share of 46.2 per cent.
The spokesman stated that Power Department is fully aware of the needs of the consumers of the States and has been assuring availability of Power as per schedule to all the consumers. / (SK Vyas, Jalandhar)
Date:
Monday, December 28, 2015
