The Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission has approved the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) Limited plan to procure 500 MW for peak power usage and 350 MW for round-the-clock usage for next year.
In its petition to the TNERC, TANGEDCO had sought to procure power from February 1, 2017 to May 15, 2017 to meet the requirement based on a review of the power situation (evening peak demand and availability) in the State by Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation Ltd (TANTRANSCO).
According to the petition, anticipated evening peak demand power (from 6 pm to 11 pm) would be 14,100 MW in January 2017, 15,100 MW in February 2017, 15,500 MW in March 2017. The peak demand is expected to be 15,800 MW in April and 15,500 in May 2017.
Power availability would be 13,130 MW each in January and February. In March, the availability would be 13,690 MW, which would increase to 14,100 MW in April 2017 and 14,600 MW in May 2017. “The present hydro storage is 42 per cent less than last year’s storage. Around 810 MW [one 600-MW unit and one 210-MW unit] from thermal stations has been considered as infirm considering the likely simultaneous outages,” THE TANGEDCO stated in its petition.It also said wind generation would be meagre between January and March and it is expected to pick up only after April.
Nuclear power
“The second unit of 1000-MW Kudankulam Nuclear Power Station and 3 x 800 MW NTPC’s Kudgi Super Thermal Power Project’s (STPP) first unit are getting delayed. Moreover, Kudankulam Unit 1 is planned for overhaul for 60 days from end of December 2016 and it may be expected only after February 2017,” the commission said.
Out of the contracted capacity of 3,330 MW under long-term agreement, there was short supply of about 350 MW from M/s. KSK Mahanadi and M/s.Jindal in 2016-17. “Solar generation is available only during day time and, hence, solar generation is not considered for peak time,” TANGEDCO said in its petition adding that the procurement plan is initiated to meet the shortfall. It also said that buying power from exchanges was uncertain.
