Ntpc Reverts To Flat Generation Level In The East
The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) is once again generating power at its eastern region plants at a flat rate, in violation of the directives of the Eastern Region Electricity Board (EREB).
The corporation has informed EREB that the directive on the levels of generation during different hours of the day cannot be adhered to due to technical difficulties.
Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) and West Bengal State Electricity Board made payments of Rs 1 crore each on Friday over and above their letters of credit of Rs 13 crore and Rs 7 crore respectively. DVC has said that it will be able to manage its demand with NTPC energy worth Rs 14 crore a month. The West Bengal SEBs stance is that it needs energy worth Rs 9 crore a month as long as it does not export any of it.
The Talcher station, which had been shut down some time ago, is being re-commissioned, with the Grid Corporation of Orissa (Gridco) promising to open an LoC for Rs 16 crore for Talcher power. NTPC will supply power from Talcher till February 15, when Gridco is expected to open the LoC. The supply will be cut off again if Gridco does not keep the promise.
The Bihar SEB is being supplied additional energy with the understanding it will increase the amount of its LoC from Rs 15 crore to Rs 25 crore. The SEB faces a cut in supply if it does not honour its commitment by February 10.
EREB had earlier pulled up NTPC for maintaining a flat level of generation, and directed the corporation to generate according to the fluctuating demand curve in the region.
However, NTPC is maintaining a flat generation level of 680 mw by operating two units each at its Farakka and Kahelgaon stations. EREB had earlier directed NTPC to maintain its generation level at 903 mw during the six peak-demand hours, and scale it down to 632 mw during the rest of the day. NTPC has explained that the suggested off-peak generation level will require it to run four generating units with a capacity of 820 mw. The 632-mw level will mean poor utilisation of capacity.
On the other hand, the suggested peak generation level will require operating five machines with a capacity of 1,060 mw. However, the fifth machine will remain in operation for just six hours a day. This, said NTPC, was an extremely uneconomical and technically unacceptable mode of operation. It has, therefore, stuck to its earlier programme of a flat 680-mw generation level.
According to NTPCs generation schedule, the West Bengal SEB will be able to draw NTPC power at a flat rate of 68 mw, which will amount to a daily energy drawal of 1.64 million units.
The Bihar SEB will be entitled to a flat drawal of 243 mw or 5.84 million units a day. DVCs quota has been fixed at 152 mw, or 3.65 million units a day. Gridco will be entitled to 159 mw or 3.83 million units a day.
Gridco will draw an additional 131 mw, or 3.14 million units, a day from the Talcher station, which NTPC took over from the Orissa SEB in June 1995. The stations generation can be drawn only by Gridco.