{Power deficit measures} Haryana ties up for nuclear power from Rajasthan plant
The projected average power deficit is 1,557 MW in 2025-26 which will surge to 4,423 MW in 2034-35: Haryana Power Purchase Centre
With the 2800 mega-watt (MW) nuclear power plant being set up in Haryana’s Fatehabad not expected to start power generation before 2028, the Haryana Power Utilities, expecting an average energy deficit of about 1557 MW next summer, have set their eyes on buying nuclear power from outside the state to help tide over the gap.
The Haryana Power Purchase Centre (HPPC), a joint forum of state’s two power distribution companies set up for power trading, had earlier in October gone in for the renewal of a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) to buy 25 MW of atomic power from the unit 5 and 6 of Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS) at Rawatbhata.
The HPPC earlier this week got approval from the regulator to purchase about 44 MW more power from two newly commissioned units of RAPS. This would be in addition to the 25 MW bought from RAPS. Officials said that the power regulator granted approval for the procurement of 44.22 MW nuclear power unit 7 and 8 of Rawatbhata station for 15 years from the date of signing of PPA.
59% of tied up capacity from thermal power
Power officials said the tied-up electricity capacity of Haryana as of September 2024 was about 14,943 MW with about 59% of it (about 8,892 MW) being sourced from coal fired power plants and about 22% (about 3,200 MW) from hydro projects. “As far as nuclear power is concerned, Haryana at present gets 28 MW from unit 3 and 4 of Narora atomic power station in Uttar Pradesh, 48 MW from unit 3 and 4 of RAPS and 25 MW from unit 5 and 6 of RAPS,” an official said.
“The share of nuclear power to the total power tied up by HPPC as on September 6, 2024, is only 0.7% (100.93 MW out of 14,943.92 MW). The proposed source is expected to provide reliable and cost-effective power to meet the envisaged power deficit for the coming years starting from 2025-26. The HPPC has projected an average power deficit of 1,557 MW in the 2025-26 surging to 4,423 MW in 2034-35,” said the regulator.
Home nuclear power project not expected to start operation before 2028
Officials said that the first of the four units (4x700 MW) of nuclear power plant being set up by NPCIL at Gorakhpur in Fatehabad district of Haryana is expected to start electricity generation in the first quarter of 2028 and the other three units will follow. Officials said that it is expected that Union power ministry will allocate a substantial quantum of power to Haryana, being the home state of Gorakhpur nuclear power project. The central government had granted an in-principle approval to set up this 2,800 MW nuclear power plant in October 2009.
The HPPC has also filed a review petition seeking source approval and unconditional consent for procurement of 500 MW from Chutka Nuclear Power Project (2x700 MW) to be set up in Madhya Pradesh and 900 MW from Mahi Banswara Nuclear Power Project to be set up in Rajasthan by Anushakti Vidyut Nigam Limited, a joint venture of NPCIL and NTPC.
The regulator in its order observed that the share of Haryana out of NPCIL’s 1,400 MW unit 7 and 8 at Rawatbhata, was 44.22 MW and the remaining power was being sold by NPCIL to other states. “Nuclear power is a clean source of energy and is available to Haryana distribution companies at a very competitive tariff of ₹3.51 per year (2016). The proposed source is expected to provide reliable and cost-effective power to meet the envisaged deficit for the coming years starting from 2025-26,” the order said.
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