CM asks Centre to power Delhi summer

Apprehending a power crisis in the capital during peak summer months of April-September, Delhi Government has sought an immediate assistance from the Centre to meet the challenge, Bhadra Sinha reports.

Apprehending a power crisis in the capital during peak summer months of April-September, Delhi Government has sought an immediate assistance from the Centre to meet the challenge.

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Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has written to Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde seeking an allocation of 40 per cent of the unallocated central quota to Delhi to meet the anticipated shortages ranging from 100-650 MW during peak hours, between 10 am and 11 pm.

According to the letter, the need for Centre’s assistance arose after the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) failed to meet Delhi’s “ever growing demand” due to delayed commissioning of its general units. According to a bilateral agreement between Delhi Government and DVC, the latter was bound to supply power during summer months.

Dikshit’s letter forms part of her government’s affidavit filed in the Supreme Court. The affidavit is in response to a public interest litigation on power crisis in Delhi. The case began after the apex court took cognizance of Delhi’s power shortage .

Though the government has claimed to have taken extra measures to avoid a power crisis, it does admit that a shortage could arise if 40 per cent of power supply is not allocated to it from the unallocated quota of Central Generating sectors.

The demand for power during summers is expected to range between 3,650 MW and 4,100 MW. The government has drawn a rosy picture by claiming it has a total availability of 3,766 MW to 4,143 MW.

The figures, however, include power from unallocated quota for which Dikshit has sought Centre’s indulgence.

Delhi’s long-term agreement with DVC on August 24, 2006 for supply of 400 MW of power from December 2007 has failed to take off due to delayed commissioning of DVC’s new generating stations. Though, DVC started supplying more than 100 MW to Delhi, the government wants at least 230 MW of power for Delhi from April 2009.

In a letter to the DVC chairman, Delhi Government power secretary Rajendra Kumar has requested scheduling of at least 230 MW of power for the city from April 2009, especially in the wake of a slippage of commissioning date of DVC’s Chandrapur unit.