Page 10 - Electricity Sector

Power returns to Kenya after 14 hrs, longest in recent memory; airport shut

Electricity was being restored in most parts of Kenya on Saturday, 14 hours after the longest outage in recent memory, the majority government-owned power distributor said. There was still no clear explanation for the outage that hit on Friday night, shutting down the country's main international airport, affecting major hospitals and even the president's office compound. I am really sorry for what has happened, Transport Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said in a statement close to midnight. There is no excuse worth reporting and there is no reason why our airport is in darkness. Kenya Power later on Saturday said it had restored service in most areas. The outage came just weeks before Kenya's government hosts the first Africa Climate Summit, where energy will be key on the agenda. Kenya gets almost all its energy from renewable sources, but infrastructure and alleged mismanagement remain an issue in the country of more than 50 million people. Kenya Power had announced in a brief ..

Renewables to account for 65% of India's energy mix by 2030: R K Singh

Union Power Minister R K Singh said on Tuesday said renewables will account for 65 per cent of the country's energy mix by 2030. India has 186 GW non-fossil fuel-based installed power generation capacity at present, the Union Minister of Power, New and Renewable Energy said. "In 2015, we planned to have 40 per cent renewables in our energy mix by 2030. We achieved the target in 2021, nine years earlier," he said, adding that the share of renewable energy in the total installed power generation capacity will be 65 per cent by 2030. Speaking at an event for the release of a book authored by ReNew Power Chairman Sumant Sinha, the minister said the speed of capacity addition of renewable energy is mind boggling. "We have planned 50 GW renewable energy capacity addition every year," he said said. Currently, India has 423 GW of installed power generation capacity. The country will need 40 GW more electricity this year as the country's power demand grew at 14 per cent, Singh said. Abou

Electricity output sees 1.3% Q1 growth due to unseasonal rains: Govt Data

The country's electricity output witnessed a marginal growth of 1.3 per cent in April-June quarter of 2023, compared to 17.1 per cent in the same period a year-ago, mainly due to unseasonal rains, government data shows. According to the latest Index of Industrial Production (IIP) data, a measure for factory output, electricity output contracted by 1.6 per cent in March and 1.1 per cent in April this year. The electricity output remained almost flat and saw a growth rate of 0.9 per cent in May and improved marginally to 4.2 per cent in June this year. The data showed that the electricity output growth remained low at 1.3 per cent in the April-June quarter of this fiscal, compared to 17.1 per cent a year ago. Industry experts said electricity output, demand and consumption were affected due to unseasonal rains, which led to fewer usage of cooling appliances like air conditioners. The data showed that the electricity output growth was robust at 12.7 per cent in January and 8.2 per ce

269 inter-state power transmission projects completed since 2014: Govt

As many as 269 inter-state power transmission projects have been completed since 2014, which includes 45 projects under tariff-based competitive bidding mode, Parliament was informed on Thursday. "269 inter-state Transmission System (ISTS) projects have been completed since 2014, out of which 45 projects are under Tariff-Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) mode and 224 projects, executed by Power Grid Corporation of India (POWERGRID), are under Regulated Tariff Mechanism (RTM) mode," Union Power Minister R K Singh said in a written reply to Lok Sabha on Thursday. Singh further informed the House that as many as 63 ISTS projects are under progress, out of which 32 projects are under TBCB mode and 31 projects being executed by POWERGRID are under RTM mode. ISTS projects are not awarded under engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) or build, operate, transfer (BOT) mode. ISTS projects are awarded either through TBCB mode to successful bidders with the lowest quoted tariff or ..

Genus Power Infrastructures arm bags order worth Rs 2,209.8 crore

Genus Power Infrastructures on Tuesday said its subsidiary has bagged a Rs 2,209.84-crore order for supply and installation of 21.77 lakh smart pre-paid electricity meters. The company has received a letter of award (LOA) of Rs 2,209.84 crore (net of tax) for the appointment of advanced metering infrastructure service provider. This includes the design of the advanced metering infrastructure, supply, installation and commissioning of 21.77 lakh prepaid smart meters on design, build, finance, own, operate, transfer (DBFOOT) basis under revamped distribution sector scheme (RDSS), a company statement said. "Post this order inflow, our total order book stands in excess of Rs 8,200 crore (net of tax). Many state electricity boards have initiated the process of inviting bids for the deployment of smart meters, which serves as a testament to the positive impact of the 'reforms-based, result-linked power distribution sector scheme'," it stated. Based on our analysis, the company anticipate

Adani Transmission renames as Adani Energy Solutions with immediate effect

Adani Transmission Ltd on Thursday said it has renamed itself to Adani Energy Solutions Limited with immediate effect. "The company's name has been changed from Adani Transmission Limited to Adani Energy Solutions Limited w.e.f. 27th July, 2023 pursuant to the even dated 'Certificate of Incorporation pursuant to change of name' received from the Registrar of Companies, Ahmedabad," a BSE filing said. Adani Energy Solutions, erstwhile Adani Transmission, is the country's largest private transmission company, with a presence across 14 states.

Despite decades of power reforms, discoms still an area of darkness

The emphasis for these discoms is to only ensure power supply reaches to the farthest corner of their grid. Quoting Power Finance Corporation data, Barnwal notes

'Integrating renewable energy in power system crucial to meet climate goal'

Integrating more renewable energy in the power system is crucial for India to meet climate goals, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) said. In its latest report, IEEFA has also suggested various measures to ramp up the share of clean energy in the country's power system. To cut emissions, India needs to increase renewable energy integration/absorption, the report said. "While India has been adding renewable energy capacity at a fast pace to meet its emissions intensity reduction target for 2030, the country needs to ramp up the share of clean energy in its power system. Integrating more renewable energy in the power system is crucial for India to meet climate goals," it noted. For India to meet growing electricity demand while addressing climate concerns, increased integration of clean energy, including variable renewable energy, is essential, IEEFA Energy Analyst and the report's author Charith Konda said. While raising non-fossil fuel power installe

FAME 3.0: Govt considering a renewed subsidy plan to support EV industry

Companies engaged in the electric two-wheeler industry have been demanding a fresh round of financial support, arguing that a complete withdrawal will kill sales

How infrastructural challenges, legacy issues could impact power reforms

A series of regulations aimed at improving electricity supplies and empowering customers could reshape India's electricity market, provided infrastructure and legacy issues are sorted out first

Transmission needs a level playing field

Issues with Power Grid need to be sorted out to ensure fairness for the private sector

Time of Day power tariff: Why you may have to pay higher electricity bills

The latest amendment to tariff rules by the Ministry of Power is expected to impact the electricity bills of consumers in India. Here's how the bills will change

Skipper bags power transmission project orders worth Rs 1,135 crore

Leading manufacturer of power transmission and distribution structures Skipper Ltd on Saturday said it has secured cumulative orders worth Rs 1,135 crore for the design, supply, and construction of new transmission line projects for Powergrid Corporation of India, as well as tower and pole export supplies. The export supplies will be made to Latin America, the Middle East, and north Africa, a company statement said without providing further details. The company has a total order book of Rs 4,500 crore and aims at doubling its revenue to Rs 4,000 crore over the next three years. These orders are a significant milestone for Skipper and reaffirm its position as a leading player in the power transmission and distribution industry, it added.

NLC India JV plant in Ghatampur to supply 492 MW of electricity to Assam

State-owned NLC India joint venture Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power has inked a pact to supply 492 MW of electricity to Assam from its 1,980 MW Ghatampur thermal plant. Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power Ltd (NUPPL), a joint venture of NLC India and Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd, is setting up a coal-based supercritical thermal power plant with a capacity of 1,980 MW (3 x 660 MW) at Ghatampur Tehsil in Kanpur Nagar District, Uttar Pradesh, with 51:49 equity participation. NUPPL and the Assam government on Tuesday announced the signing of a power purchase agreement (PPA) to ensure a steady and reliable power supply of 492 megawatts (MW) to the state from the former's 1,980 MW Ghatampur Thermal Power Plant. The PPA was signed and exchanged between NUPPL CEO CS Santhosh and Chandan Deka, Chief General Manager/Commercial & EE, APDCL, at Bijulee Bhawan in Guwahati. Under the agreement, NUPPL will supply 492.72 MW of power to the Assam government. This reliable energy supply will ..

Peak power demand met touches all-time high of 223.23 GW on June 9

Peak power demand met or the highest supply of electricity touched an all-time high of 223.23 GW on June 9, showing the waning impact of unseasonal rains on consumption, government data showed. The power ministry had estimated that the peak power demand will easily touch 229 GW during this summer in April only. The unseasonal rains affected the demand and brought down temperature during summer, resulting in fewer use of cooling appliances like air conditioners which guzzle electricity, experts say. Taking proactive measures, the power ministry had asked well in advance all imported coal-based power plants to run at full capacity from March 16, 2023 to June 15, 2023, to meet any unprecedented rise in demand and consumption of electricity in the country. Besides, the ministry had asked the domestic coal-based thermal power plants to import coal for blending to avoid any shortfall of the dry fuel. The government data shows that peak power demand met was 215.97GW in April and 221.34GW

As Ashok Gehlot ups the ante, here's how states compare on power subsidies

The Gehlot government, which was already offering 50 free units to all consumers, has announced that from now on, it will give the first 100 units free to all consumers per month

Delhi CM renominates retd Justice Rajiv Kumar Srivastava as DERC chief

The Delhi government had also filed a petition in the Supreme Court regarding the matter. In the petition, it stated that Srivastava was proposed in January as the new DERC chairperson

Nepal starts exporting electricity to India, as generation increases

Nepal has started exporting electricity to India from Saturday, as the generation of hydroelectricity from run-of-the-river projects increased with the onset of the monsoon in the Himalayan country. Last year also, Nepal exported hydroelectricity to India from June to November. We have started selling 600 MW hour electricity to India from Saturday as there is a surplus in the electricity in the country, said Suresh Bhattarai, spokesperson of Nepal Electricity Authority. Some time ago Nepal was importing up to 400 MW electricity from India to meet the domestic demand. In Nepal the domestic demand for electricity increases in winter, while the supply decreases and in summer the demand decreases while the supply increases. Most of the hydropower projects operating in Nepal are based on run-of-the-river. Last year, Nepal earned around 12 billion rupees from exporting electricity to India. With the onset of monsoons, hydropower plants in Nepal have been producing excess electricity f

Discoms' dues down by 3rd soon after enforcing Late Payment Surcharge Rule

The total outstanding dues of electricity distribution utilities (discoms) has reduced by a third to around Rs 93,000 crore in May, in less than year of implementing the Late Payment Surcharge (LPS) Rules in June 2022. The burgeoning dues of discoms toward power generation (gencos) mainly and transmission (trancos) firms have been affecting the entire value chain of the sector till last year. According to industry data, in June last year, discoms' dues were at Rs 1.39 lakh crore at the time of the launch of the Late Payment Surcharge (LPS) scheme. The total outstanding dues now stand at around Rs 93,000 crore as per the portal PRAAPTI (Payment Ratification And Analysis in Power procurement for bringing Transparency in Invoicing of generators). The PRAAPTI portal was launched in May 2018, to bring transparency in power purchase transactions between generators and discoms. Experts believe the strict implementation of the Late Payment Surcharge (LPS) Rules can make the power sector m

Japanese govt greenlights household electricity price hike by 7 power firms

The Japanese government has endorsed seven major power companies' plans to raise household electricity prices from June.