State authorities authorised load shedding in April: Odisha minister Pratap Keshari Deb

By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: The State authorities on Monday admitted that energy distribution corporations have been authorised for load shedding for a few hours in April resulting from acute scarcity of energy.

Replying to the admissibility of adjournment movement moved by Mukesh Mahaling and Sanatan Bijuli of the BJP on frequent energy cuts and better energy tariff, Energy Minister Pratap Keshari Deb knowledgeable the Assembly that energy disaster turned acute within the State from April 23 this yr when one of many two models (2 x 800 MW) of Darlipali tremendous important energy plant in Sundargarh district went out of the State grid resulting from technical snag.

The NTPC’s Darlipali unit took a compelled shut down at a time when the State was experiencing a heatwave situation and the demand for energy was exponentially rising at 400 MW or extra. The web lack of about 440 MW energy from Darlipali plant additional accentuated the disaster and this might not be made up resulting from scarcity of energy throughout the nation.

“Though Gridco was ready to buy costly power of 400 MW to 600 MW during peak hours from open market through the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX), there was no availability of power. This is despite the market clearing price (MCP) is exorbitantly high as Rs 12-16 per unit,” Deb stated.

With many states of the nation going through acute scarcity of energy, the IEX provided to sale solely 40 to 60 MW to Gridco as towards its requirement for over 400 MW. The growing demand for energy couldn’t be met regardless of stepping up era from hydro energy stations of the State, he added.

Asserting that the State has not skilled any unscheduled energy cuts from April 25, 2022, the Minister stated the State authorities had instructed distribution corporations to make sure uninterrupted provide of energy in view of annual examinations and matric examination of scholars.

“The three months period from April to June was the most challenging period for energy sector in the country. Power supply regulation in many other states much more than Odisha where only 5 to 8 per cent consumers faced scheduled power cuts for 10-12 days in April,” the Minister stated.

However, he admitted that the aggregated technical and business (AT&C) loss in Odisha is far increased than the nationwide common.