Page 15 - Electricity Sector

Tamil Nadu: Revised power tariff comes into effect despite opposition

The revised power tariff of the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd (TANGEDCO) came into effect on Saturday despite opposition by various political parties. The new tariff, approved by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC), however, retained the existing scheme of providing 100 units free to domestic, multi-tenements, old age homes and handlooms consumers. The domestic consumers will have to pay Rs 4.50 per unit consumed, as against Rs 3 per unit up to 500 units, up to 400 units for two months and Rs 6.50 per unit from 401 to 500 units, and Rs 8 per unit for 501 to 600 units. The cost will be Rs 9 a unit for up to 601 to 800 units consumed, Rs 10 per unit will be charged for 801 to 1,000 units while Rs 11 per unit will be levied for above 1,000 units. The common supply for lighting and motor pump in small apartments and additional connections in individual apartments should be brought under the new category LT-ID where each unit is charged Rs 8

IEX total trade volume dips annually by 18% to 7,805 mn units in August

The total trade volume of Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) registered an 18 per cent annual decline in August to 7,805 MU (million units). The total trade volume in August 2021 was at 9,538 MU, an IEX statement said. However, on a month-on-month basis, IEX registered a 9 per cent growth in August. In July 2021, the total power trade volume was 7,151 MU. The total trade volume of 7,805 MU in August, 2022, comprised 6,517 MU in the conventional power market, 437 MU in the Green Power Market, and 851 MU (8.51 lakh Certificates) in the REC Market, according to the statement. The average clearing price in the Day-Ahead market increased 2 per cent YoY (year-on-year), from Rs 5.06 per unit in August'21 to Rs 5.17 in August '22. The supply-side constraints continued due to high prices of imported coal, fuel shortage and increased e-auction prices, it said. The Day-Ahead Market volume at 3,529 MU, registered a flat growth on a month-on-month basis. Although imported coal prices remained high

Recovery tracker: Workplace visits at record high; air traffic declines

There were around 314,000 air passengers as of Sunday, September 4, based on a rolling seven-day average. It was around 331,000 as of Sunday, August 28

Power exchanges clock growth despite pending discom dues worth Rs 1.32 trn

A third player starts operations, pointing to the potential of this nascent business

Rising prices of natural gas, coal spur revival of nuclear power in Asia

The embracing of nuclear energy comes after the prices of natural gas and coal, the two fossil fuels used to generate most of Asia's power, shot to records this year as Russia's invasion of Ukraine up

Andhra Pradesh government says it doesn't owe any money to power gencos

The Andhra Pradesh government on Friday maintained that it owed no money to the power generators for electricity purchased through the power exchanges. Power System Operation Corporation Ltd (POSOCO), a Government of India enterprise, has asked three power exchanges -- IEX, PXIL and HPX -- to restrict electricity trading by 27 discoms in 13 states having outstanding dues towards gencos. AP was listed as one of the states that had outstanding amount to the gencos. AP Special Chief Secretary (Energy) K Vijayanand clarified here on Friday that the state power distribution companies did not owe any money to the gencos. "We have cleared all the Rs 350 crore due. It was only due to a communication gap that AP was probably showing as having an overdue," Vijayanand said. Over the past few months, the state has been purchasing about 40 million units of electricity per day through the power exchanges for meeting its needs, AP Transco sources said. The overall electricity demand in the stat

Torrent Power and Sembcorp Industries in race to buy Vector Green Energy

The transaction is expected to have an equity value of 30 billion rupees ($377 million) and an enterprise value of 50 billion rupees

Best of BS Opinion: Powering reforms, tapping GST growth opportunity & more

Here is the best of Business Standard's opinion pieces for Wednesday

AIPEF Chairman says claims of choice to power consumers 'misleading'

The claim of providing choice of multiple service providers to power consumers in the Electricity Amendment Bill 2022, is "misleading" and will make state-run discoms loss making entities

Open access II: India's attempt to expand scope of green energy initiatives

The new guidelines expanding consumer choices to green energy will remain subject to the uncertainties and quirks of state policy

India's power shortage at 1% in April-June this fiscal: R K Singh

"Further, during 2022-23 (April-June), against the requirement of 404.76 Billion Units, the energy supplied was 400.65 BU. There was a shortage of 1% of energy requirement," Union Power Minister said

World's electricity demand growth slowing sharply as prices soar: IEA

The world's electricity demand growth is slowing sharply from its strong recovery the previous year as economic growth weakens and energy prices soar following Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Tamil Nadu govt hikes power tariff, but spares 10 mn consumers

The Tamil Nadu government on Monday announced a hike in the power tariff for TANGEDCO consumers proposing an increase of Rs 27.50 (per month) for those using up to 200 units

Jharkhand govt to provide electricity up to 100 units per month to poor

The Jharkhand cabinet on Friday passed the proposal of giving free electricity to financially weaker consumers up to 100 units per month. The cabinet took the decision on this during a Cabinet meeting

Maharashtra's electricity users to pay more as fuel adjustment charges rise

Nearly all the electricity users across categories in Maharashtra will be paying more for every unit of electricity they consume over the next four months, power utilities said on Friday. The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC), the sector regulator, has approved discoms' requests for accumulated fuel adjustment charges (FAC), which will result in higher payouts. The FAC charges are for higher costs borne by discoms in arranging power either by way of paying higher charges for short-term power supply or imported coal, which surged because of geopolitical tensions, experts pointed out. Consumers will have to pay the higher FAC for four months till November 2022 billing cycle, industry sources said, adding that the actual payments will differ from discom to discom, and also as per the category a consumer falls under. An official from the state-owned Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL) said the increase is as per the MERC order. "The FAC duly

Govt may drop proposal on discom delicensing after some states protest

The amendment pertains to delicensing of power distribution that would have paved the way for any company to supply electricity in an area, after necessary regulatory approval

Power Grid board approves proposals to raise up to Rs 11,000 crore

The board of state-owned Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) on Wednesday approved two proposals to raise up to Rs 11,000 crore through the issuance of bonds and term loans. The proposals to raise Rs 11,000 crore have been approved in a meeting of the board of directors on Wednesday, July 6, 2022, a BSE filing said. As per the filing, the board approved a proposal to raise funds up to Rs 6,000 crore from the domestic market through the issue of secured/unsecured, non-convertible, non-cumulative/cumulative, redeemable, taxable/tax-free debentures/bonds under private placement during the financial year 2023-24 in up to twenty tranches/offers. The board also approved another proposal for sanction of a rupee term loan of up to Rs 5,000 crore from commercial banks to meet capital expenditure requirements.

Discoms outstanding dues to power producers rise 4% to Rs 1.32 trn in June

On a sequential basis, total dues in June increased from Rs 1,30,139 crore in May 2022

States add 1.1 million families to un-electrified list, shows data

Under Saubhagya, the Centre provided 60 per cent of the project finance to states for giving connections to rural households, and the rest was borne by states

Recovery tracker: Fewer vehicle registrations, workplace visits dwindle

Electricity generation lower than before as monsoon sets in