By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 21 Jun: A sharp rise in electricity demand during the month of June has emerged as a major challenge for Uttarakhand’s energy sector, forcing Uttarakhand Power Corporation Ltd (UPCL) to depend increasingly on costly power purchases from the open market. In addition, the UPCL has also resorted to some unannounced power cuts, particularly for certain industrial consumers in the state. With temperatures rising and consumption reaching new highs, the gap between the state’s power demand and its own generation capacity has become more pronounced, raising concerns about long-term energy security. Delay in arrival of the monsoon in Uttarakhand and absence of pre-monsoon showers have further aggravated the crisis.
At present, the state’s daily electricity demand has touched nearly 6.1 crore units. In contrast, Uttarakhand’s own power generation capacity stands at only around 1.8 crore units per day. This means that the state is unable to generate even 40 per cent of its total electricity requirement on its own and remains heavily dependent on external sources to bridge the widening gap. Despite the much touted potential of hydropower generation, Uttarakhand has not been able to increase its power generation to match the potential and the requirements. One major reason is also the delay in approval and construction of major hydropower projects in Uttarakhand, resulting in poor capacity addition. Now, solar power generation has become the major topic of discussion in the power circles in the state.
Amid the state facing the power crisis, a significant relief comes from the electricity allocated to the state through the central pool. Currently, Uttarakhand is receiving nearly 2 crore units of power daily from the central pool. When combined with the state’s own generation, total daily availability reaches approximately 3.8 crore units. However, this still falls considerably short of the overall requirement. Against a daily demand of 6.1 crore units, the available supply remains around 3.8 crore units, leaving a deficit of more than 2 crore units. To bridge this gap, Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) is being compelled to procure electricity from power exchanges and other market sources.
Principal Secretary (Energy) Dr R Meenakshi Sundaram has stated that the government is moving ahead with various projects to enhance electricity generation in the state. He also claimed that the efforts are also being made to boost solar power production through the establishment of new solar plants and by encouraging private investment in the sector. He added that a comprehensive campaign has been undertaken to curb electricity theft and that incidents of power theft have declined in recent years, helping to control distribution losses and improve operational efficiency.
However, the electricity purchased from exchanges and other external sources is proving expensive, placing additional financial pressure on the state’s energy utilities. The burden of rising demand has become so intense that UPCL has introduced special power management measures in some sectors. As part of these efforts, the power supply to steel furnace industries has been curtailed by one hour. While the department has described the move as temporary and limited in nature, officials acknowledge that if demand continues to rise at the current pace, more stringent management measures may become necessary in the future.
The financial implications of the growing energy requirement are also becoming increasingly significant. During the current financial year, the state is expected to spend nearly Rs 9,407 crores on power procurement. In comparison, expenditure on power purchases during the previous financial year stood at approximately Rs 9,170 crores. The increase of several hundred crore rupees within a year highlights the mounting economic burden on the energy sector, despite ongoing efforts to enhance domestic generation and promote alternative energy sources.
Experts believe that electricity demand in Uttarakhand is likely to rise even further in the coming years owing to the growing adoption of electric vehicles, fresh industrial investments, expanding tourism activities and increasing use of electrical appliances in households. In such a scenario, reliance on market purchases alone will not provide a sustainable solution. The state will need a comprehensive long-term strategy focused on enhancing generation capacity, strengthening transmission infrastructure and significantly expanding renewable energy resources.
It may be recalled that since the formation of the state, Uttarakhand has witnessed rapid industrial growth, urbanisation and a steady increase in population. While, at the time of the state formation, Uttarakhand was touted as a power surplus state but the industrialisation and a sharp rise in urban population has turned the state into a power deficient state forced to buy power from the central pool as well as the open market at times. Electricity consumption across domestic, commercial and industrial sectors has continued to rise because of industrialisation as well as rise in the population. Although successive governments have undertaken efforts to enhance power generation, promote new hydropower projects and encourage solar energy development, the state still remains unable to meet a substantial portion of its total electricity requirement through its own resources. The figures recorded during June underline the scale of the challenge.
On the other hand, the energy department claims that it is working at multiple levels to address the emerging challenges. A strong need is being felt for accelerated investment in power generation and solar power generation in view of the widening gap between demand and towards ensuring that Uttarakhand’s future energy requirements can be met without placing excessive financial strain on the state’s power utilities.
