Most electricity boards (EBs) supply power to the agricultural sector (AS) and claim subsidy from the state governments based on energy consumption. In some states, EBs draw subsidy from the government for some other benevolent services also.

Since the energy supplied to AS is a benevolent gesture EB's have eliminated energy meters for all AS services. The absence of energy meters gives ample opportunity to EBs to estimate the average consumption at a much higher value than the actual in the AS. Energy meters might have given enough information to asses the two aspects of the riddle. Fortunately,APSEB conducted energy audit in their system during the years 1995 to 1997 (continuing).

The board published the average T&D loss in AP as 29 per cent, so far detected commercial loss (theft) of energy at 3,02 per cent for the year 1996 -97 and 4.03 per cent for the year 1997-98 of the total distributed energy (DE). Published value for T&D loss (prior to energy audit) as 18.8 per cent and commercial loss as 0 per cent for the year 1996-97). As a result of the continuing audit, the APSEB revised AS consumption significantly downward, from 11,309 Mu during 1995-96 to 7,835 Mu for the year 1996-97.

To arrive at an acceptable conclusion in this study, we adopted APSEB's published values for the year 1996-97. The AS energy consumed by 18.2 lakh sets electrified as 7,835 Mu, T&D loss as 29 per cent and identified commercial loss (theft) at 3.02 per cent of the total DE. (According to this author's studies the figure now arrived for AS consumption by APSEB is higher by 50 per cent and the commercial lossesdeclared is eight per cent less than the estimates of 11 per cent.

The following are the state-wise comments:
Andhra Pradesh: The data used is, as published by APSEB without modification as it is based on their conducted energy audit. In order to stay financially in the black, APSEB estimated AS consumption higher and commercial losses lower than indicated by their audit to draw more subsidy from the state. According to this author the actual consumption in AS of AP will be about 5.240 Mu and not 7.835 Mu, T&D loss at 30 per cent and not 29 per cent and commercial loss at 11 per cent not 3.04 per cent of DE for the year 1996-97.

Gujarat: The state AS requires more water than AP but, their assumption of 5,016 hours of pump operation nor 20,054 units per set per year cannot be justified. The actual operation should be about 1,682 hours, consuming 6,728 units per set per year. The T&D and commercial losses be 36 (38.7) per cent but not 18.8 per cent of DE as declared. GSEB had certainlyfudged the AS consumption.

Haryana: The state AS requires less water than AP but, their assumption of 2,941 hours of pump operation nor 11,675 units per set per year cannot be justified. The actual operation should be about 1,171 hours, consuming 4,684 units per set per year. The T&D and commercial losses be 41 (43.2) per cent but not 29.5 per cent of DE as declared. HSEB had certainly fudged the AS consumption or included the commercial loss (theft) in AS consumption.

Karnataka: The state AS requires same amount of water as AP but, their assumption of 1,986 hours of pump operation nor 7.944 units per set per year cannot be justified. The actual operation should be about 1,265 hours, consuming 5,060 units per set per year. The T&D and commercial losses be 34 (42) per cent but not 18.5 per cent of DE as declared. KSEB had certainly fudged the AS consumption or included the commercial loss (theft) in AS consumption.

Maharashtra: The state AS requires more water than AP but, theirassumption of 1,951 hours of pump operation nor 7,946 units per set per year cannot be justified. The actual operation should be about 1,417 hours, consuming 5,668 units per set per year. The MSEB T&D loss is the lowest and the board is in black without any subsidy from the state. The T&D and commercial losses be 21 (26.2) per cent but not 15.2 per cent of DE as declared. The fudging is less than other states.

Punjab: The state AS requires less water than AP but, their assumption of 2,571 hours of pump operation nor 10,284 units per set per year cannot be justified. The actual operation should be about 1,171 hours, consuming 4,684 units per set per year. The T&D and commercial losses may be 41 (47.2) per cent but not 18.1 per cent of DE as declared. PSEB had certainly fudged the AS consumption by a significant amount or included the high commercial loss (theft).

Rajasthan: The state AS require much more water than AP but, their assumption of 2,204 hours of pump operation nor 8,814 units perset per year cannot be justified. The actual operation should be about 1,946 hours, consuming 7,784 units per set per year. The T&D and commercial losses could be 26 (34.6) per cent but not 22 per cent of DE as declared. RSEB had certainly fudged the AS consumption by a small amount or included the small commercial loss (theft).

Tamil Nadu: Enjoys the lowest losses in the country 19 (25.4) per cent but not 17 per cent as shown. The extensive rural, low voltage system and separate feeders established for AS (to control loads) may be responsible for low losses. Still the loss may include some commercial losses.

Uttar Pradesh: The state AS requires less water than AP but, their assumption of 3,738 hours of pump operation nor 14,981 units per set per year cannot be justified. The actual operation be about 1,171 hours , consuming 4,684 units per set per year. The T&D and commercial losses be 42 (44.7) per cent, the highest in the country but not 22 per cent of DE as declared. UPSEB certainlyfudged the AS consumption to included the significantly higher commercial loss (theft).

West Bengal: The agricultural activity is much lower than in other states. The losses could be 22 (22.4) per cent but not 19 per cent of DE.The data for the following states, not included in the above tableBihar: The agricultural activity is much lower (electrified pump sets are only 2,68,831 with ground water potential of about 5.9 MHe). The losses declared is 25 per cent and there is no need for EB to fudge as they do not get any subsidy from the state. The EB's operational deficit is very small. The agricultural activity in the state is also low. Commercial losses are ignored and included in AS consumption. The declared T&D loss of 25 per cent is reasonable.

Orissa: The agricultural activity is much lower (electrified pump sets are only 69,799 with ground water potential of about 2.3 MHe). The T&D loss declared is 45 per cent and this could nearly be true. The OSB subsidised heavily by the state ondifferent aspects of benevolence.

The above analysis showed that every EB is taking advantage of the absence of energy meters in AS and resorting to fudging the AS consumption to include not only the underestimated T&D loss but also the energy theft in their systems.

The extent of fudging is more in the states where agricultural activity is high like Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. The benefit derived by the boards is not only the extent of subsidy from the respective states but also self-praise, by showing much less T&D loss. The boards are ignoring their inefficiency in operating the distribution system by blaming the AS for the ills and raising the other consumers tariff to stay in the black.

The fact remains, that the farmers are using the energy in a less effective manner. Still the energy consumption (15 per cent of DE) in AS is about half of what the boards are reporting. The single aspect that affects efficiency is the procurement of the pump set by the farmer with over capacity inflow and Total Developed Head. The capacity can be reduced by 25 per cent, adopting universal technique of pump's Impeller Trimming to the desired value, at least expense.

The project is meant to demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of Impeller Trimming technique. Certified results by APSEB indicated the reduction in power and energy demand by more than 22 per cent. The cost of trimming per set is estimated to be nominally at about Rs 600 only.

The author is a retired executive director of the Nuclear Power Board of DAE, Mumbai, and has served for many years as a member of Southern, Western and Northern Regional electricity boards