PSPCL seeks uniform power purchase in OA system on Guj pattern

On the pattern of Gujarat, power utility in Punjab has sought "uniform quantity" of power be procured by open access consumers in the state, saying "erratic" drawl of power was creating problems in "system operation and planning" and affecting power quality.
Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) has filed a petition with power regulator seeking amendment in the open access regulations for making quantum of power uniform which is to be procured through open access system.
Open Access (OA) consumers buy power from power exchanges when it is cheaper than the PSPCL power and when it is costlier, they shift to PSPCL system, power utility said in its petition.

"This is creating huge problems in system operation and planning," it said.
Under the Open Access system, energy consumers especially big industrial units can buy power from other sources other than state power utility.
At present, there are 326 Open Access consumers in Punjab with a load of around 1,375 MW.

Noting that PSPCL was facing several problems due to erratic drawl behavior of OA consumers, it said, "in such scenarios, the costly power is dumped during high frequency regime at very low rate and during low frequency regime, there are unscheduled cuts as the open access load shifts to PSPCL system due to market rate being higher."

"Maximum power is procured during night hours and minimum during the evening peak times. This varying schedule during the day renders the balancing of demand and availability very difficult," it said.
"The sudden variation in drawl by OA consumers from PSPCL adversely affects the quality of power for other consumers," it added.
Citing an instance of Gujarat, PSPCL said the open access consumers in the that state submit an under taking to the effect that the quantum of power to be procured through open access will be uniform.
"Gujarat State Electricity Regulatory Commission has upheld obtaining of this undertaking from open access consumers by the distribution utilities," PSPCL said.

Stating that it was not possible to manage the system efficiently with varying schedule, PSPCL said, "the only solution lies that open access consumers shall bring in uniform quantum of power under open access system.