Andhra discoms seek RLNG swapping to utilise 300Mw

State power utilities are trying to ramp up power generation to meet the growing demand in Andhra Pradesh, which has been facing scheduled power cuts since last month.

A 300 Mw of idle capacity in gas-based projects is being already utilised by running them on naphtha fuel while a request has been sent to the Union Petroleum Ministry to allow swapping of regasified liquified natural gas(RLNG) with natural gas for running an additional 300 Mw, according to Suresh Chanda, chairman and managing director of Andhra Pradesh Transmission Corporation (APTransco).

“Despite the shortfall, we have been able to manage the situation,” he told Business Standard.  Power utilities are purchasing 2,000 Mw power on a short-term basis to meet the summer demand, according to him. The discoms met 282 million units (mu) of the 314 mu demand leaving a shortfall of 32 mu yesterday.

The power-deficit state  in the South is yet to get access to the relatively cheaper power available in the northern grid as the new north-south corridor, which was formally inaugurated a couple of months ago, is yet to be put  on use.

“The newly-constructed north-south corridor is expected to be made available only from July this year. In October-November, two  AP Genco plants with a total capacity of 1,200 Mw will be synchronised to the grid. At the same time, the 1,000 Mw Hinduja thermal power project in Visakhapatnam is also expected to go on stream. The problem is with this summer only,” he said.

The four state discoms will have a share according to the existing consumption pattern from all the projects under execution, including Hinduja-owned power plant, even after the bifurcation, according to Chanda.

The power demand in the state tends to decline towards the end of April as agriculture consumption comes down following the harvesting of kharif crops sown under well irrigation.