With the peak intra-day demand of power crossing the 10,000 MW mark for the first time this agriculture season during the last two days, Telangana State Power Generation Corporation (TS-Genco) has decided to step up the process of synchronisation of its 4×270 MW Bhadradri Thermal Power Station (BTPS) with the grid by the month-end.
This is being done to reduce the dependence on spot purchases of energy from the National Power Exchange to meet the gap in demand above the long-term and short-term contracted power during the coming months, considered the peak load season when the agricultural operations would be in full swing. According to TS-Genco officials, synchronisation of the generation units would begin with oil as fuel and switched over to coal before the date of commercial operation (CoD).
“The demand for energy would be at its peak in the State during September-October period and in March when the requirement of the agriculture sector goes up sharply,” a senior operations executive said. The power demand was over 10,000 MW in 15 out of 30 days in September and 21 out of 31 days in October last year, he explained giving an example. Similarly, the demand clocked over 10,000 MW on 20 out of 31 days in March this year.
Peak demand
On Friday, the peak demand 10,180 MW with the consumption of energy recorded at 213.1 million units (MU) and on Saturday the peak demand was clocked at about 10,300 MW.
The power generation utility has been able to step up the process following recommendation of the expert committee of Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) recently allowing it to transport coal by road due to the delay in construction of railway line to the power station near Manuguru in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district. The panel has allowed transportation of 13,000 tonnes of coal every day from the nearby mines of Singareni Collieries for a period of three years.
When contacted, Chairman and Managing Director of TS-Genco D. Prabhakar Rao told The Hindu that they were planning to commission the first three units of BTPS one-by-one beginning from September-end or October first week. The fourth unit would be synchronised by November-end but it would be commissioned only in February next.