The fall in water flowing through hydel projects has led to a sharp dip nearly 30% in power generation.
While hydropower projects in Punjab chipped in with 181.89 lakh units (LU) of electricity on June 23 last year, the figure for the same day this year was 128.65 LU. Punjab was able to save Rs 300 crore in the last fiscal due to increased generation at hydel projects bu the amount is going to be considerable less this time.
On Saturday, water level in the Ranjit Sagar stood at 502.18 metres, against 513.77m on the same day in 2017. At Bhakra, water level was at 457.3m this year, against 476.73m in 2017. At Pong dam, the water level was 3 metres less on Saturday, when compared to previous year’s 393m.
Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) chairman-cum-managing director (CMD) Baldev Singh Sran, who earlier held the charge of chief engineer for hydel generation, blamed less inflow and lower water level in hydel projects of PSPCL for the poor show.
it has signed long-term and short-term power purchase agreements and also from the banking arrangements.
In Haryana, power utilities supplied a record 9,626 MW of power, against a demand 9,729 MW on Saturday, after eight-hour power supply to the tubewells.
According to sources in the Haryana power utilities, supply on Saturday was 2,135 LU, which was an all-time high with an increase of 405LU from June 20. Maximum power supply on a sing-He said PSPCL’s power share from the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) had also gone down, from 156.30 LU last year to 141.81 LU.
As temperatures rise above 40°C and paddy plantation reaches its peak, power demand has increased in Punjab and Haryana. On Monday, power demand of Punjab crossed 11,000 MW for a brief time.
Punjab has 5,666 MW from various other sources outside the state with which le day was 2,010 LU on July 19, 2017. The maximum power demand met was 9,626 MW, while maximum power demand met last year was 9,440 MW on July 15.
However, due to a shortfall in the supply, the power corporation had to restore to regulatory measures and impose unscheduled power cuts, especially in the small towns and rural areas.