Peak power deficit in Apr-Sept 2014 at 4.7%: CEA

Peak power deficit, shortfall in electricity supply when demand is at the maximum, in the same period last year stood at 4.2%

Country's peak power deficit in the six months ended September 2014 stood at 4.7%, according to official figures.

As against a peak power demand of 1,48,166 MW during April-September as much as 1,41,160 MW was met, leaving a deficit of 7,006 MW, as per the data by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).

The peak power deficit - shortfall in electricity supply when demand is at the maximum - in the same period last year (April-September 2013) stood at 4.2%.

North-eastern region was the worst sufferer with 11.3% deficit followed by Southern region with 8.7% shortage and Northern region with 8.3% shortfall, during the period (April-September 2014).

The peak power requirement of the north-eastern region comprising Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, was at 2,380 MW of which 2,112 MW was met. During the same period of last year, the region had a shortfall of 8.2%, the data said.

South Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka required electricity to the tune of 39,094 MW of which the supply was at 35,698 MW. Last year, the region's deficit was 12.5%.

North India -- Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand -- required 51,977 MW of power during the six-month period, while it received 47,642 MW. The region's last year deficit was at 6.9%.

This year, country's eastern region including states of Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha stood at the bottom of the list of peak power deficit regions. They reported a shortfall of 286 MW or 1.7%. As against the demand of 16,628 MW, the supply stood at 16,342 MW, as per the data.

CEA, the techno-economic clearance body under the Ministry of Power, is also engaged in setting generation targets and other milestones for the power utilities.