CHANDIGARH: Punjab is bracing for “massive power cuts” after coal stocks in the state were exhausted completely on Tuesday as a result of prolonged suspension of goods trains. Day-time power shortage rose to 1,000 to 1,500 MW with the last of the state’s power plants, GVK Thermal, running out of stocks. The other two private thermal power plants NPL and TSPL have already exhausted their coal supplies and are out of operation.
PSPCL chairman-cum-managing director A Venu Parsad said, “All private power plants are shut in Punjab, while one unit each at government run plants has been started. Power cuts are already being imposed in the state in agriculture, domestic and commercial sectors, while at some places, power cuts of around 5 hours were imposed.”
The state’s own thermal power stations of Ropar and Lehra Mohabbat are also boxed up at present. However, one unit at each of these plants was synchronised by the evening to make up for GVK generation loss and provide stability to the system. These plants have five-six days coal stock reserved if run on full load.
An official spokesperson said the power department is left with no option but to impose power cuts on all residential, commercial and agricultural consumers from Tuesday evening.
Day-time demand in the state is about 5,100 to 5,200 MW and night-time is about 3,400 MW. Supply, on the other hand, is totally inadequate with only agricultural power (AP) load of vegetable feeders (800 MW) being given supply for four-five hours daily. The other AP load is currently insignificant (about 300 MW), he said.
Due to increase in market rates, load shedding had to be carried out on Tuesday on all AP /vegetable and Urban Pattern Power Supply (UPS) in rural feeders early in the morning. Otherwise too, load shedding is being conducted regularly on various feeders of the state after 4pm for four-five hours daily, while AP/vegetable supply is being curtailed on a regular basis, the spokesperson said.