Gridco turns to power banking to plug deficit

Power deficit still around 500 Mw in Odisha, water in key reservoirs much lower than comfort level

With peak power deficit still hovering around 500 Mw in Odisha, state-owned power trading firm Gridco has taken to power banking route to tide over the crisis.

"Peak power deficit is yet to ease. Water levels at some of the key reservoirs is far from the comfort level. To resolve the crisis, Gridco has taken to power banking to overcome the crisis", said Suresh C Mohapatra, principal secretary (energy).

A Gridco source said, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd, has agreed to provide 50 Mw beginning October 1 via power banking. The utility would scale up supply to 100 Mw from November and continue supplying till June next year. Gridco would return 105 per cent of the procured power to the company from July next year.

Gridco which has been trading around 150 Mw every day at the energy exchanges for over two months has suspended it after power crisis surfaced. For the last two weeks, Gridco has refrained from power trading, said the source.

The state is banking on independent power producers like Ind-Barath Energy Utkal Ltd (IBEUL) and Monnet Power whose coal-based power projects are likely to be commissioned soon. IBEUL has synchronised the first 350 Mw unit of its proposed 700 Mw coal-fired thermal power plant at Sahajbahal near Jharsuguda.

Monnet Power is expected to put on stream two 525 Mw units (1,050 Mw) near Angul.

Peak power demand in the state has touched 3605 Mw with the average demand at 3100 Mw. Hydro power generation during the peak hours is 900 Mw. The state is unable to scale it up further due to below par water level at key reservoirs. Water level at Indravati (600 Mw power station) is only 54 per cent and that of Rengali being 58 per cent.

During peak hours, hydro power meets 1389 Mw of the demand while IPPs and CGPs (captive generating plants) together offer 800-900 Mw.