Gridco starts power supply regulation as generation drops

Has instructed the discoms to put in place a 30 minute to 1 hour power cut throughout the day

State-run power trader, Gridco Ltd has started regulating power supplies to distribution companies (discoms) on the wake of heavy drop in generation from thermal power producer NTPC.

Though official timing for power cut has not been announced, Gridco has instructed the discoms about 30 minute to 1 hour power cut throughout the day.

“We have not received any information on scheduled power cut. We have been informed that there would be power cut for about an hour for some days,” said an official of Central Electricity Supply Utility (Cesu), the biggest discom operating in central area of the state.

Other three discoms, owned and operated by Reliance Infra, said, they have not issued any power cut guidelines as they think it is a short-term crisis.

“There is no announcement of power cut by Reliance Infra companies. We have been asked to regulate supply for a brief period of time due to sudden failure of some NTPC units and lower hydro power generation. I believe the situation should improve by end of this week,” said A K Bohra, chief executive of Central Service Office, the umbrella arm of three Reliance Infra discoms in Odisha.

The power regulation became necessary on the wake of heavy drop in generation by NTPC-run thermal power stations. Two units of NTPC Kaniha and one unit of the TTPS Talcher stopped working today due to technical glitch. Other plants of NTPC located outside Odisha have also reported failure of several units due to technical problems.

The state gets a share of 1,523 Mw power supply from NTPC-operated units in Odisha and neighbouring states. Currently it is getting around 900 Mw power from the top thermal power producer.

Similarly, the hydro electricity generation has dropped to about 400 Mw from a normal level of 1,000 Mw on the back of receding water level in reservoirs following scanty monsoon rainfall.