AHMEDABAD: The decline in power demand resulting from reduced electricity consumption by industrial and commercial establishments has led to temporary shutting down of 26 power generating units in Gujarat, including both state-run and private company operated entities. A single power station has multiple units with different power generation capacity.
“At present, the cumulative power generation capacity under Reserve Shutdown (RSD) is estimated to be around 5,500MW,” said sources in the government. Power units are kept under RSD if there is no demand for electricity.
As many as 16 units of Gujarat government-owned Wanakbori, Ukai, Gandhinagar and Sikka coal-fired power stations as well as Dhuvaran gas-based power plant are currently closed. One more unit of Bhavnagar Lignite Thermal Power Station is non-operational due to lignite feeding problem, shows data available with the state load dispatch centre (SLDC).
Seven units of Wanakbori Thermal Power Station in Kheda district are shut, while three units at Gandhinagar thermal station are not operational at the moment.
Two units each at power stations located at Sikka near Jamnagar and Ukai in Tapi districts are also closed. “Nearly 3,122MW capacity of the state-run plants is shut due to reduction in power demand,” added government sources.