With the entire northern region reeling under massive power cuts following the soaring of temperatures, the Uttar Pradesh government is making all-out efforts to meet the demand from all available sources.
Pursuant to UPPCL chairman Navneet Sehgal?s direction that steps to procure power from all possible resources be taken, the officials of the power department have initiated talks to procure power with their counterparts in Himachal Pradesh.
?We are in touch with Himachal Pradesh and would be able to firm up an agreement within a couple of days,? said a senior official of UPPCL.
Apart from that, efforts are also on to increase the generation capacity internally through Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd (UPRVUNL), the state power generation body from 2,540 mw to 2,800 mw.
According to chairman and MD, UPRVUNL, Alok Tandon, a new unit of 250-mw generation capacity at Parichha thermal power plant will start production on a trial basis in May and commercial generation is likely to be commenced from first week of July. In fact, the second unit of Anil Dhirubhai Ambani?s Rosa power plant is also expected to start commercial operations in June.
It will add another 300 mw to the 300 mw already produced by the first unit, which started commercial operations in March.
In order to tap every source of energy, the UPPCL has also decided to procure 22 mw from Dhampur Sugar mill, 20 mw from Balrampur Sugar mill and 12 mw from Dalmia mills through open access.
Besides, orders have been issued to purchase 300 mw from Indian Energy Exchange (IEX).
But since power is being traded between Rs 8-12 on the exchange, it is turning difficult for UP to purchase power from the exchange to fulfil its demand-supply gap, which usually fluctuates between 1,500-2,000 mw.
At present, the state?s peak-hour demand verges around 9,500 mw while its availability is around 6,500 mw, including the state?s generation, the total allotted quota from the central sector as well as overdrawal from the grid.