DVC inks 400 Mw deal with MP

Kolkata-based Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) will supply 400 Mw to Madhya Pradesh. The state electricity board and corporation officials today signed a memorandum of understanding in this regard. The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission will decide the tariffs of the additional power supply.

Chief Secretary Rakesh Sahni and DVC Chairman R K Sen today exchanged the MoU papers. The corporation will ensure the additional power of 400 Mw by June 2007. According to a government spokesperson, the state witnessed a demand-supply gap of 1,950 Mw during the rabi season.

"The peak demand reached 6,500 Mw against 4,500 Mw supply from thermal power generating units, the Indira Sagar project and the Sardar Sarovar project," said the spokesperson.

The total power generation stood at a maximum of 2,450 Mw from all power-generating units of the state. The state made a futile attempt to bridge the demand-supply gap with the central share of 1,250 Mw, and an additional purchase of 700 Mw and a surplus drawl of 150 Mw from the central quota. However, the rural areas remained most affected where power cuts reaches 12 hours.

Meanwhile, the state energy minister, Kailash Vijayavergiya, told the assembly today that there was a considerable increase in power generation during the past two years. Power generation has been increased from 3,490 Mw to 4,641 Mw.

He said the government planned to explore alternative sources of energy for generating 1,000 Mw, and efforts are on to revive the Maheshwar hydel project through private participation