Power generation expands by 6% in March 2012

Power generation has expanded by 6% in the month of March. The increase has come despite 25 thermal power stations are operating with coal stock of less than four days.

As per Central Electricity Authority data, power generation in March increased by 6.39% to 2,550 million units as against the programmed 2,397 million units. Thermal power generation alone witnessed a rise of 6.7% at 2,211 million units against the programmed 2,072 million units. On the other hand, the fuel stock position at the thermal power stations remained strained with less than four days of reserves at 25 plants and less than seven days stock at 30 power stations.

As per the government officials coal stock is not the only reason effecting power supply. There are many more factors contributing to the increase in power, coal supply being one of them. Moreover it isn’t that power companies do not have coal. The lesser supply is affecting the utilization capacity of the plant however is not shutting it down.

The Power Ministry has set a target of generating 9,20,000 million units of electricity this year, of which over 1,50,000 million units is expected to come from the private sector alone. It has plans to add over 7,60,000 million units of coal-based power during 2012-13. The government would add over 1,22,000 million units of hydel power during 2012-13, of which nearly 60,000 million units would come from the northern part of the country. It would also import over 5,000 million units of hydro power from Bhutan to bridge the shortfall.