PSERC orders fuel audit at plants
Yogindra Mohan

Patiala

The Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) has issued legal order to the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to carry out fuel audit of its thermal plants and dedicated coal mine.

In a ground breaking step, the PSERC in its order of October 8 on suo motu petition has directed the PSPCL to implement the various recommendations made in the Central Power Research Institute (CPRI) report for fuel savings and cost reduction. Earlier in January this year the PSERC had asked CPRI Bangalore to carry out study on the fuel consumptions of three thermal plants and suggest various means to improve the fuel consumption. The preliminary report was received in May and the commission, the CPRI and the PSPCL team headed by its CMD KD Chaudhry had detailed discussions on the report on July 20 last.

The final fuel audit report of CPRI was received by commission on August 14. The objections received from the PSPCL on the report and their reply by the CPRI was discussed in the commission’s meeting on September 26. The implementation of suggestions could bring down generation cost by 10 paise per unit.

The PSERC in its order has asked the PSPCL to take up the matter with appropriate authorities ie Union Power Ministry and the Coal India Limited regarding inclusion of surface moisture in computation of gross calorific value (GCV) of coal at the sending end and put efforts to make the payment for coal on ‘As Received’ basis at its thermal plants

A saving of Rs 6,000 to Rs 8,000 crore is likely to accrue to India if fuel audit of the PSERC is implemented across the country.