UPCL fails to enter into long term power purchase agreements
By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 21 May: The demand for electricity in the state has gone up to 5.6 crore units this summer. Even as the power availability is not able to meet the demand, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has issued strict directions to all the 3 Power Corporations to ensure regular power supply. As a result of this, the UPCL has scrambled to purchase extra power from the open market. Earlier, UPCL was resorting to undeclared power cuts across the state including in the urban areas, particularly Dehradun.
UPCL has been in denial mode regarding the power cuts, instead of scheduling the power cuts, which is certainly a better option. The CM has taken a serious view of this.
Now, the UPCL is claiming that, in order to meet the power demand and ensure regular supply, it is purchasing 60 to 70 lakh units every day from the open market. Sources claim that the current market price of power in the open market prevails between Rs 8 to 12 per unit. The UPCL has also claimed that, nowhere in the state, are any scheduled or unscheduled power cuts being enforced. It adds that, in the past few days, any case of power outage has been only on account of some local fault.
Fortunately for the UPCL, power generation in the state also seems to be optimal currently. Due to peak summer heat, the glaciers are melting which has resulted in adequate water flow in the rivers at present which has maximised the power generation in the state. Against the current peak demand of 5.6 crores units per day for the past 4 days, UPCL has current availability of around 5 crore units per day as a result while the balance is being purchased from the open market. In relation to this demand, UPCL is currently claiming 24 hours supply.
UPCL MD Anil Kumar claimed that despite so much demand, cuts are not being resorted to anywhere He says that all power outages in past few days have been on account of local faults and not due to the power cuts. He also claimed that in some places work related to line shifting or excessive load, power outages have been reported.
Due to peak water flow in the rivers, Uttakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam (UJVNL) is stated to be managing record level of power generation currently and this comes as a major relief for UPCL towards ensuring round the clock power supply in the state. UJVNL is claiming that the current average power generation this month has been over 2 crore units per day which is a record. In the month of May in 2020, the average power generation per day was 1.6 crore units while in 2021 it was 1.2 crores units per day. In the year 2022, the average power generation in May was 1.7 crore units but it fell to just 1.3 crore units per day last year. This year, so far in May, the average power generation has peaked to over 2 crore units per day, which is a record. This power generation is providing great relief to UPCL in the face of record electricity demand.
UJVNL MD Dr Sandeep Singhal has stated that, at present, all 20 hydropower projects are operational. Singhal added that the UJVNL is making continuous efforts to ensure maximum power generation.
UJVNL sources also shared that Chilla Power House is due to chose for maintenance later this week. Chilla Power House has a capacity of 100 MW. In addition, THDC, which makes available 128 MW of power to UPCL will also close for maintenance for about 45 days from 1 June. Chilla Power House will remain shut for about 15 days. Sources claimed that THDC has been urged to complete its maintenance within a period of 30 days instead of the usual 45 days.
Once these two power houses shut, UPCL will again face a shortage of about 228 MW of power which will also have to be met through purchase of power from the open market. Sources in UPCL also claimed that despite some efforts on part of the management to enter into long to medium term agreements with power companies for purchase of power, the efforts have not been very successful. In case UPCL manages medium to long term agreement for power purchase, it may be able to acquire the power at around Rs 6 to 7 per unit whereas under short term arrangements, power may have to purchased at even around Rs 12 per unit.
