Surplus power causing disruption in WBSEDCL's transmission

Come summer, and the West Bengal's state electricity companies are normally hard pressed for meeting the rising demand for electricity in the state. Every year the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL), makes advance booking for import of extra electricity from other states and central agencies. But this year, despite having an advance plan for import of power from outside, the WBSEDCL is finding itself in a piquant situation.

There is a sudden demand crunch and the state agencies are having a surplus power of 1200 MW in hands. According to one senior official of WBSEDCL, sporadic nor' ester in the districts in the last one week caused a major disruption in transmission of power in the state in a big way. At many places in the districts transmission towers have been uprooted and distribution lines snapped, causing this sudden slump in demand.

While the WBSEDCL and West Bengal State Electricity Transmission Company Limited (WBSETCL) got busy with repairing the lines, the power generation companies in the state were asked to step down their generation.

Accordingly, West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited's (WBPDCL) Kolaghat, Bakreswar and Sagardighi power stations have stepped down the generation. According to sources in state power department, Durgapur's DPL and Farakka's NTPC power station have been asked to follow suit.

According to Meteorological office, fairly widespread and scattered thunderstorm and thunder squalls occurred over Bengal for the last few days and isolated hailstorm also occurred over eastern and northeastern states for one or two days. According to WBSEDCL, power distribution network in a large part of North Bengal, Birbhum and Murshidabad districts have been affected because of that.

But why the extra power could not be exported to some power starved states? The state power department officials feel that the national grid is not equipped enough to take the sudden surge of voluminous power supply at a short notice. It has got to do with the lack of proper and adequate maintenance of the national grid lines.

This also indicates that in case of sudden need to import bulk energy into the state, the problem will cause a lot of hindrances, admits the state power department official.