Punjab may face power cuts despite surplus power

Despite becoming a "power surplus" state next fiscal on the back of addition of new electricity generation capacities, people of Punjab are likely to face power cuts in coming months.
State's power utility Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) has proposed to go for load-shedding as it is filing a petition with power regulator PSERC, seeking regulatory guidance for measures to be taken for load regulation and imposing power cuts in case of exigencies and system requirements.
Regulator Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) has sought objections from all stakeholders against the petition filed by the PSPCL.
In its petition, the power utility claimed that there would be surplus availability of energy in 2014-15 primarily because of commissioning of new generational capacities within the state and share in the central sector projects.

However, it noted that the "regulation of power" would be required in case of "eventualities" despite state being "power surplus".
"...Even in the surplus scenario, the eventualities cannot be ruled out in the power system which may require regulation of load and supply," it said.

"In the year 2014-15, the regulatory measure shall be imposed on the real time basis depending upon the real time gap in the demand and supply of power and other system constraints," PSPCL said in petition.
PSPCL has cited several instances of "eventualities" when power cuts can be imposed which include forced outage of high capacity generating units, any deviation in central sector schedule due to forced outage, frequent deviation in schedule in import of power by open access consumer and any restrictions due to overloading of inter-regional lines.

Among power regulatory measures, PSPCL proposed power cuts to impose weekly off day on large and medium industries, peak load restrictions on industry, regulate supply to AP (agricultural pumpsets) consumers.
PSPCL, which has always been under fire from several quarters for severe power shortage, is expecting availability of additional power generation from commissioning of three thermal power units including Rajpura (2x700 MW), Talwandi Sabo (3x660 MW) and Goindwal Sahib (270 MW) in next fiscal.
"The timely commissioning and scheduled generation of the new generating units may also become uncertain on account of which, situations may arise for the imposition of power regulatory measures," it said.

In its schedule of anticipated demand and energy availability for 2014-15, PSPCL has projected surplus availability of 12,807 million units of power throughout the year (2014-15) with estimating total power availability of 61,462 MUs against requirement of 48,655 MUs.
PSPCL has even estimated surplus availability of energy during crucial months of May (1405 MUs), June (305 MUs), July (94 MUs) and August (600 MUs) when summers are at peak and paddy sowing season is on.