UP stares at darkness as power projects stay on drawing board

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Lucknow: Despite ambitious plans and promises, the Uttar Pradesh government may not be able to fulfill its target of capacity additions in the power sector to the tune of 10,000 mw by the end of the 11th Five Year Plan. Since no capacity addition had been done in the 10th Five year Plan, there was greater stress for fulfilling the targets fixed for the 11th Plan period.

However, even after a year of the Plan period having kicked off, no new project has taken off in the last two years, literally forcing the power sector into the dark.

According to experts, the current situation of the energy sector in the state does not bode well for any kind of development or industrialisation. In fact, this may be the reason for the desertion of whatever little industry there is left in the state. “While the average energy demand in the state is pegged at around 8,000 mw in winters and 9,000 mw in summers, the state’s own generation capacity at present is a paltry 2,700 mw, including thermal and hydel. The remaining requirement is met by importing around 3,500 mw from the Central pool. But despite importing power, there is an average shortfall of approximately 2,000 mw everyday, which leads to heavy roistering,” says an expert in the state energy sector.

In fact, the situation becomes so bad at times that the state has to purchase power from outside at exorbitant prices. “As much as Rs 14,000 crore is spent by the state government annually for buying power and in fact the CERC, too, has issued notices to the state government warning it for overdrawing power and violating the grid discipline,” revealed a senior engineer of the energy sector.