The Hindu : Energy auditing can help save crores of rupees

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 19, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Energy auditing can help save crores of rupees

By Divya Sreedharan

BANGALORE April 18. Engineers in the State's power companies say that energy auditing for industries can save lots of money and power. Nothing, however, has been done about it.

Two months ago, a delegation of engineers gave a memorandum to the Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, asking that energy auditing be made mandatory and annual. They also wanted energy auditors registered with the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd. (KPTCL). But the engineers say Mr. Krishna is yet to respond to their request.

For that matter, neither the KPTCL nor the four electricity supply companies (escoms) have energy conservation cells as required under the newly-set up Union Government's Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).

The BEE, says K.C. Naikwadi, Chairman of the All-India Power Engineers' Federation (AIPEF) and Chief Engineer (Technical Audit and Quality Control), KPTCL, wants State electricity boards to mandatorily audit industries. Doing so has helped the Tamil Nadu board, for example, cut industrial energy consumption by an average 12-15 per cent overall, he adds.

``In Karnataka, industries used 5,475 million units (MUs) in 2001-2002. If energy auditing can reduce this by 15 per cent, we can save 821 MUs, the equivalent of about Rs. 240 crore,'' Mr. Naikwadi points out. Doing so is essential for chronically energy-starved Karnataka, he feels.

Moreover, till State electricity boards and departments create a regular cadre of energy auditors, the BEE wants auditing done by energy auditing firms, NGOs, other government departments, academic institutions, etc.; it also wants individual auditors temporarily accredited for up to three years (by power companies).

This summer, the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) has urged citizens to use less energy, but energy conservation is not mandatory.

Yet, figures available with the AIPEF show that power companies can potentially save up to 76 per cent of the energy consumed by the domestic and commercial lighting sector.

At the same time, engineers themselves say that KPTCL/escoms are more concerned with maintaining power systems and meeting shortages than energy auditing. "But if it is not done, we will continue to have power crises every year,'' they add.

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