Orissa to get 200 mega watt through power banking

Anticipating power shortfall in the upcoming summer months, Grid Corporation of Orissa (Gridco) is in the process of striking power banking deals with other states to ensure uninterrupted availability of power and tide over the deficit.

From April 1, Orissa is set to get 200 MW from northern states like Himachal Pradesh and Haryana through the power banking route. Gridco, the bulk power purchaser, is also in talks with other states like West Bengal and Gujarat to procure power through this mode.

“We have been assured 200 MW beginning April 1 this year from the power banking mode. This power will be made available by northern states like Himachal Pradesh and Haryana. The state will return equivalent quantum of power to these states when it is in a surplus position”, said a top Gridco official.

Meanwhile, to meet the burgeoning power demand of the state during the peak hours, hydro power generation has been stepped up to 700-800 MW during the evening from around 300 MW earlier.

With improved availability from Central thermal power stations, peak power deficit has subsided considerably.

“We have been able to meet almost the entire peak power demand of 3100 MW barring a marginal shortfall of 50-60 MW. Hydro power generation has been scaled up significantly and disruptions in the Farakka and Kahalgaon power stations of National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) have been restored. This has helped overcome peak power shortfall to a great extent. Non-peak power deficit is hovering around 300 MW”, said a top official source.

The disruptions in power supply from NTPC's power stations had created a shortfall of 300-350 MW.

As against its share of 218 MW from the Farakka power station, the state was getting 140 MW. Similarly, the power supply to the state grid from NTPC's Kaniha plant had dipped from 518 MW to 308 MW. The supply from TTPS had fallen by 50-60 MW.

The captive generating plants (CGPs) of Jindal Steel & Power Ltd (JSPL), JSL Ltd, Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP), Neelachal Ispat Nigam Ltd (NINL), Tata Sponge Iron and Rathi Steel are together pumping 615 MW to the state grid.