SHOMA PATNAIK | NT
Panaji: Although the COVID-induced lockdown brought the Goan economy to a near halt, overall electricity demand in the state after the initial drop has presently recovered to near normal levels.
Chief engineer of electricity department Raghuvir Keni said on Wednesday that power consumption in the state, which had dropped by 46 per cent at the height of the lockdown, is now almost back to regular levels.
Replying to a query from ‘The Navhind Times’, the chief engineer said that electricity demand has currently reached 95 per cent of what it was last year.
“Electricity demand has rebounded. We are just five per cent short of the normal demand. The five per cent difference will be covered up when hotels in the state start functioning properly,” he said.
Keni explained that the state’s peak power demand came down to 375 MW in the first three weeks of March-April 2020, soon after the lockdown was imposed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
It must be noted that the drop in power demand was witnessed during the summer months.
However, since then energy consumption has picked up again with peak power demand currently averaging 550 MW. Goa’ peak power demand varies depending on the season.
“It hits a climax of 650 MW in the summer months and even drops down to 400 MW in rainy season,” Keni explained.
The power department has projected peak power requirement of 600 MW to the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission for the current year 2020-21.
The industry is the largest consumer of electricity: power demand from industrial units accounts for over 70 per cent of the total demand.
On energy consumption by industrial units, Keni said, “As per our data, the industry is working in full swing. Most of industrial units are back to production mode. The pharmaceutical industry in the state was anyway working during the pandemic. Currently the major industrial estates have touched their near normal
electricity demand.” Industrial estates at Verna, Kundaim, Margao, Corlim and Mapusa are considered the major power consuming estates by officials of the electricity department.
The state does not generate its own electricity but purchases virtually its entire requirement from outside.
The chief engineer said that during the lockdown days when consumption dropped the department continued to pay fixed charges to the National Thermal Power Corporation Limited, as it has a long-term power supply contract with the corporation.