KOLKATA/BHUBANESWAR: The power purchase bill of Grid Corporation of Orissa Ltd (Gridco), the state owned bulk power purchaser, is set to shoot up by 25 per cent in 2012-13, compared to the previous fiscal.
With the state’s overall power demand projected at 24,888 million units for the current fiscal, the expenditure to be incurred by Gridco towards power buying is estimated at Rs 6,741 crore, 24.83 per cent higher than Rs 5,400 crore in 2011-12.
“Cost of thermal power generation has gone up due to spike in prices of coal. Production from Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) has remained stagnant and in the wake of disruptions in coal supply, the thermal power producers have to procure imported coal at higher prices, thereby raising cost of generation. This fiscal, peak power demand is projected to touch 3500 MW compared to 3300 MW last fiscal and also non-peak demand will touch 2900 MW against 2700 MW of 2011-12,” a senior Gridco official told Business Standard.
In November 2011, the state was reeling under peak power deficit of 600-650 MW. To tide over the power shortfall, the energy department had asked captive generating plants (CGPs) to maximise power supply to the state grid.
Besides, power disruptions from Central power producer-National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) had created a shortfall of 300-350 MW, adding to the state’s power deficit woes.
Moreover, hydro power generation had seen a drastic fall, especially from the southern reservoirs owing to scarce rainfall in the area.
It may be noted that three major hydro power projects of Orissa Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC) – Upper Indravati hydro-electric project (600 MW), Balimela hydro-power project (510 MW) and Upper Kolab (320 MW) which constitute about 70 per cent of the hydro power capacity of OHPC were hit because of scant rainfall.
The state government had also requested the Union power ministry to allocate 500 MW power from Talcher Thermal Power Station-TTPS (Stage-II) of National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to help plug in the deficit.
Anticipating power shortage during the ensuing summer months, Gridco was looking to firm up power banking agreements with other states. The state power utility had entered into an agreement with West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (WBSEDCL) for supply of 200 MW via power banking route from April 1 this year.
The state’s power demand has been going up significantly, fuelled by increasing consumption among domestic and industrial consumers.
The state’s power availability is expected to reach 4,455 MW by 2013-14 compared to the current availability of 2,700 MW, said energy minister, Atanu Sabyascahi Nayak.
By 2013-14, Orissa is set to get 1,755 MW additional power as state share from six coal-based independent power plants (IPPs) that are expected to go on stream by then and also from expansion projects of Central PSU- National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).
The six IPPs that are scheduled to commission their coal-fired power plants by 2013 include Maa Durga Power Company Ltd, GMR Kamalanga Energy Ltd, Ind-Barath Energy (Utkal) Ltd, Jindal India Thermal Power Ltd, Monnet Power Company Ltd and Lanco Babandh Power Ltd with a total envisaged capacity of 7050 MW. The state’s share from these power stations is pegged at 1,200.5 MW of which the net availability will be 939 MW.
NTPC’s expansion projects at its super thermal power stations at Farakka (West Bengal), Karanpur (Bihar), Barh (Bihar)- Stage-I and Stage-II will feed 756 MW to Orissa’s grid. This apart, renewable energy sources will chip in 60 MW.
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