SHILLONG:
The Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL), on April 19, said duration of load-shedding could be reduced in the days to come as more power is expected from other sources while there is also chance of rain as per meteorological information and once Myntdu-Leshka is able to produce power.
Chairman-cum-Managing Director of MeECL Sanjay Goyal told reporters that currently there is a gap between the power available with the state and the demand.
“The demand is roughly touching 250-260 MW and the availability is around 190-200 MW, which is from our home generation as well as our entitlement from the central generating units – the NEEPCO, OTPC and the ONGC Tripura Power Plant, Palatana,” Goyal said.
The CMD said that the state was trying to plug this gap from “open market operations” – purchase some of the power because it is costly during certain times of the day therefore load-shedding is being resorted to.
He also said that the state was facing a dry spell currently and the generating units are impacted.
“Myntdu-Leshka unfortunately, because of the shortage/non-availability of water is off-production for the last almost five to six days while water level of Umiam is also depleting very fast because we are excessively using this water to compensate the loss of power which is not available through Myntdu,” Goyal informed.
He said that the purchase of power is being done in real time and the procurement cost of energy is high.
He also said that the state is purchasing power at the rate of Rs 8 per unit whereas the average cost of billing which the regulator is allowing is roughly Rs 4.50.
“So the corporation is taking this hit of Rs 3 per unit during the peak time. During evening times we are not going for load-shedding and that is the time the power available in the market is at a very high cost,” Goyal said.
He said that when it is too costly for the MeECL, that is when it is not in a position to do open market operations.
He also said that the state has only one project dependent on pondage – the Umiam, which has a huge reservoir and takes in water all through the year and during the lean period, it is used – from November to May, till the next monsoon.
“During these five-six months, the pondage at Umiam gives us the power, the other (hydel) projects are run-of-the-river projects. So we produce to the maximum capacity when the water is available. When the water is not there these units work on the availability of water,” Goyal added.
He said that in Myntdu-Leshka, there are three units and during the peak monsoon season all operate and 126 mw is generated.
The CMD also said that the New Umtru at Byrnihat is functional and it generates 18 mw of power.
Goyal informed that the state is roughly going through eight to nine hours of load-shedding presently.
He also said that the state’s entitlement from North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) maybe 10 per cent, but their own production is down due to non-availability of water.
On the plans of the government to generate more power, the CMD informed that in the pipeline is another hydel power project, Myntdu-Leshka State II, and a Detailed Project Report is at an advanced stage and funding for it will be scouted whose capacity will be around 210 mw.
He also said that the government is prioritising four-five small hydro power projects in the range of 5-10 mw.
He also said that the government is exploring the possibility of thermal set-up which will depend on availability of coal and scientific mining.
Stating that these are long-term plans but in the short term the government is exploring the possibility of having bilateral agreements with some other states to purchase power at cheaper rate or do market operations more proficiently so that the demands can be looked into on a real time basis and make economic decisions for the corporation.
On the Ganol Hydel Power Project, Goyal informed that one unit (7.5 mw) is into synchronisation stage to the grid and for the next two a target of June 30 this year has been set to produce power.
He informed that when all three units of the Ganol Hydel Power Project are functional it will generate 22.5 mw of power.