Patiala, Sep 03: The normal monsoon, so far, has helped the cash-strapped Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) save Rs 200 crore in power purchase bill with hydel power production increasing 33% over the first five months of this fiscal.
The Rs 26,000-crore power utility generated 2,398 Million Units (MUs) from its five hydel plants from April to August this year, compared to 1,806 MUs in the corresponding period last year. This is the most power it has generated in first five months of a fiscal, over the past five years.
The additional power — 592 MUs — 33% more over last year meant that it had to purchase less from outside, resulting in the saving. In August, the utility generated 675 MUs, an increase of 40% over the generation of 481 MUs in the same month last year. The average annual power generation is 4,500 MUs.
“The increase in power generation was possible as the water level at Bhakhra and Pong Dams is higher than previous years. For the first five months of a fiscal, we have generated the most power in the past five years. We are likely to generate more power than normal this year,” said a senior official with PSPCL, adding that this was also the time the demand peaked in the state.
The latest reservoir level at Pong Dam and Bhakhra Dam is 1,382ft and 1,672ft, respectively. At the same time last year, the levels were 1,370ft and 1,647ft. At the Ranjit Sagar Dam, the water level is 1,713ft, almost the same as last year.
PSPCL operates 32 units with an installed capacity of 1,151 MW at five hydel projects of Shanan (Joginder Nagar, Himachal Pradesh); Upper Bari Doab Canal; Ranjit Sagar Dam; Anandpur Sahib hydel project and Mukerian Hydel project, Talwara). The 32 units are available for generating power at full capacity.
News Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com
