Punjab Newsline
Padamjit suggests strategy for solving power shortage in Punjab
VINOD KUMAR GUPTA
Thursday, 22 October 2009
PATIALA: "The energy conservation coupled with new pithead thermal plants and Nuclear Energy Park are the best options for the Punjab Government to solve the power problem of state" said Padamjit Singh Ex-Advisor PSEB in an exclusive interview with this correspondent.

The power requirement of Punjab for the financial year 2009-10 is 44.1 billion units with restricted supply after taking in to account the power cuts and pending connections. The unrestricted supply in Punjab means requirements would touch 50 billion units said Padamjit.

To sustain a growth rate of 8% per annum for the state economy, the increase in power supply availability should also be matching at 8% per annum. The requirement for financial year 2011-12 would be about 58 billion units.

The 17th Electricity Power Survey of the Central Electricity Authority has also estimated the energy requirement of Punjab for 2011-12 as 60 billion units.

Padamjit said that to cover the existing deficit of 6 billion units per year the state needs a thermal plant of 900 MW. Further to ensure an additional power of 8% per year a thermal unit of 600 MW is required annually.

Talking about the ongoing thermal projects in state he said that the present policy of Punjab Govt. to rely exclusively upon private parties for new thermal projects in the State is suicidal since there is no safeguard or commitment for early time schedule of commissioning.

The 540 MW Goindwal station is lingering on since 2000 and even now, it has not achieved financial closure The 1980 MW Talwandi Sabo project awarded in September 2008 has made absolutely no progress and has been given a further 3 months period for achieving financial closure. It may be added that the construction of a thermal plant takes about four years.

On short term basis two immediate steps can be taken by state government to give timely relief from power shortage. Punjab should give highest priority in curbing theft of electricity. Presently the reverse is happening whereby influential politicians give verbal instructions that in their constituency there should be minimum or no checking for theft of electricity.

By this populist measure, they give a free hand for theft of electricity. Majority of urban pattern supply feeders have losses in the range of 70% or higher.

Punjab must follow the example set by progressive states like West Bengal and Gujarat where the State Govts. have owned the responsibility to eradicate the cancer of energy theft. These States have passed stringent anti-theft laws at the State level that have yielded immediate results.

The move must start from Majitha area that is known for theft of power. Linked with the anti-theft drive is the technical plan of low cost measures to curb theft that was implemented by the engineers in PSEB as a pilot project in West Division of Patiala should be implemented throughout the State with necessary funds coming from Rural Electrification Corporation.

Padamjit said that regarding long-term measures Punjab must accept nuclear power as the sustainable option to meet the energy requirement of a State, which is, located about 1400 KM away from the coalmines.

Every progressive state in the country is lobbying with the Central Govt. for the selection and location of a nuclear power station/ nuclear energy park in their State. Punjab should revive the proposal for a nuclear plant at Patran with capacity enhanced from the original 1000 MW to at least 3000-4000 MW.

The financial constraints are the main reason for the state government to go for thermal plants in private sector. Instead of sinking over Rs 3000 crore per year on power subsidy which benefits even the richest of rich farmers which is totally unjustified and untenable, there is a need to target only the poor and marginal farmers for the subsidy which would reduce from the present Rs 3155 crore per year to less than Rs 1000 crore per year. This saving could be ploughed into power projects. A power development cess of 25 to 50 paisa per unit could be levied on all consumers with the condition that this amount would be earmarked for new power projects.

Finally, a word of caution by Padamjit Singh about constructing new thermal projects in state there is a need to revive the option of a pit head thermal stations it is more economical, may be in joint venture Further railway transportation system from Jharkhand/ West Bengal up to Punjab is already nearing saturation and does not have margin for feeding coal to new projects. Even the on going thermal projects of Haryana Delhi and western UP may not get full requirements of coal.

Even the gas based thermal plant in Punjab is not feasible at present because neither the gas supply is available and nor is the gas transportation available since the existing HBJ pipeline from Gujarat is already saturated.

The State must learn the lesson from ignoring capacity addition during the past decade and should not depend upon private sector alone for power sector development, which has no commitment to time, bound execution of power projects.