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PSPCL buys power from grid as Talwandi Sabo plant unit shut down
Meets current sowing season’s highest power demand of 12,805 MW and recorded consumption of 2,901 lakh units on June 22
A unit of the Talwandi Sabo thermal power plant in Bathinda district has gone out of operation, forcing the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to purchase electricity from the grid.
Corporation chairman and managing director (CMD) A Venu Prasad said the power utility has purchased 879 megawatt (MW) electricity from the power grid at the rate of ₹3.85 per unit to meet the increased demand in the state due to hot summers and the ongoing paddy sowing season.
The PSPCL has made arrangements to meet the demand up to 13,700 MW, it s learnt. The out-of-operation unit of the Talwandi Sabo plant has a capacity of generating 615 MW power.
“Presently, the power generation from interstate stations is about 600-700 MW less when compared to the last year due to low hydro potential and non-supply of 400MW power from four thermal units of the Coastal Gujarat Power Ltd (CGPL), Mundra. This deficit is being arranged by procuring power on a day-to-day basis from the exchange,” Prasad said.
The PSPCL catered to the current paddy season’s highest power demand of 12,805 MW and recorded consumption of 2,901 lakh units on June 22.
Prasad said the demand is expected to rise further in the coming week.
“Last year, the maximum demand and consumption were at 12,683 MW and 2,822 lakh units in June. However, the highest ever consumption of 3,018 lakh units was recorded in July 2020. The highest ever demand of 13,606 MW was recorded in July 2019,” he added.
The PSPCL has operationalised all the four units of the Lehra Mohabbat plant, three units of the Ropar plant and all the units of private plant. Nearly 850 MW power is being contributed by hydel power stations of PSPCL.
A power engineer said during most of the season PSPCL pay fixed costs to the Talwani Sabo plants but when power is needed, it develops snags. “Earlier also, the plant had remained out of operation due to technical problems. This needs to be checked,” he said.
