Haryana's HPGCL for minimum power purchase by discoms

Haryana's power generation company HPGCL today said 'minimum purchase' of power by distribution companies from it be made 'mandatory' as backing down of power generating units could affect 'operational life' of power units.
The power generating company has also demanded recovery of cost corresponding to loss of generation due to backing down, in its mid-year review petition for 2014-15 and generation tariff petition for 2015-16 filed with state power regulator Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC).
Observing that backing down of power units has increased "with each passing year", the petitioner Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited (HPGCL) said, "On an average, 30.44 per cent of the installed capacity of HPGCL was backed down in 2013-14 which has increased to 32.57 per cent in 2014-15 (till September)".

The backing down quantum of HPGCL units had jumped from 426.52 million units in 2011-12 to 4,531.94 MU in 2013-14, it said, adding, "such a significant backing down has adversely impacted HPGCL."
Stating that its plants are dedicated to supply power in Haryana, HPGCL prayed in petition that a minimum amount of purchase of power by the discoms from HPGCL be made mandatory.
"HPGCL requests the Commission to direct distribution licensees of Haryana for minimum off-take of power from HPGCL stations," said the petition.

Backing down means closing down the unit or running at reduced load.
Listing out the adverse impact of backing down of its power generating units, HPGCL said, "Backing down affects the operational life and efficiency of the power plants, consequently increasing the repair and maintenance expenses."

HPGCL pointed out, "in case of generating units are backed down, certain auxiliaries are required to be run at full load, which leads to higher auxiliary consumption for the reduced generation or no generation for which no variable cost is being recovered from the beneficiaries."
"Due to the unplanned backing down, the coal consumption reduces significantly and leads to piling up of coal stock at the plants... The piling of coal stock not only creates the operational issues for stacking of coal but also increases the risk of smoldering and loss in the gross calorific value of the coal stored," it added.

The power generator pointed out that the regulation pertaining to methodology of working out generation loss due to backing down was silent.