Electricity consumers in Maharashtra may face more load shedding

Poor rainfall and less coal availability may impact generation

Electricity consumers in Maharashtra might face additional load shedding if the monsoon is delayed further in the state.

The generation plants run by the state-run Maharashtra State Power Generation Company (MahaGenco) have started taking a hit due to depleting water in reservoirs, coupled with decreasing availability of coal.

Currently, the state distribution company, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MahaVitaran) is carrying out daily load shedding ranging between 350 Mw and 900 Mw, which might increase further if power plants face closure. Besides, the burgeoning rates of power on exchanges make purchases dearer for MahaVitaran, which it might not be able to bear for long.

MahaGenco is merely generating 500 Mw to 600 Mw from the Koyna hydro project, against the total generation capacity of 2,000 Mw, in order to save water if the situation worsens further.

“The demand has been increasing day by day due to the heat wave and a lack of rainfall. On June 29, the demand was recorded at 15,961 Mw against the availability of 15,589 MW. The load shedding was of the order of 372 Mw. On June 28, MahaVitaran carried a load shedding of 841 Mw as the availability was 14,845 Mw against the demand of 15,686 Mw. On June 27, the load shedding was 1,208 Mw when availability of 14,320 Mw against a demand of 15,528 Mw. Further, MahaVitaran shed load of 856 Mw on June 26 when availability was 15,126 MW against a demand of 15,982 Mw,” a MahaVitaran official told Business Standard. The official informed that MahaVitaran has to purchase power from exchanges at rates ranging between Rs 3.70 & Rs 4.62 a unit. The state distribution did not draw power from exchanges when the rates crossed Rs 5.62 a unit.

Moreover, MahaGenco, with a thermal capacity of 7,880 MW, is anxiously awaiting the revival of the monsoon across the state. However, the official admitted that falling water levels and mounting pressure on coal availability would be a cause of concern.