BENGALURU: The demand for power in the state has now come down by around 30 million units (MU) per day after recording a steep increase in early September. However, the constant fluctuations in demand and supply this year, particularly in September, has forced the energy department to reassess its resource adequacy plan (RAP).
Officials from the department said with the demand for power rising and the target to increase generation to 69 gigawatt in the next 10 years, the focus will be on attracting private firms not only to set up plants, but also sell power.
“Contractual agreements are being re-worked to purchase power from other states and from private firms. The government is looking at purchasing power from multiple sources, including thermal, nuclear and hydro. It is looking at a public private partnership (PPP) model where private players will sell power at the rates fixed by Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC).
The private firms will procure land and generate power, the government will purchase power as and when required. They can also sell power in the open market. This is one of the plans for the next 10 years apart from increasing solar and wind power generation. The state’s capital investment will be less,” the officials said.
According to data, there is a 4-5% year-on-year rise in demand for power from urban areas and the industrial sector. The demand from irrigation pumpsets (IP sets) fluctuates.
The officials admitted that the maximum demand is from IP sets, where power has to be provided continuously for seven hours, besides extending subsidies.
“While the load from the farm sector is little under control at the moment because of rains in the last couple of days, the evening peak demand for power in the state has been around 12,000MW. Usually, the demand is less in September. But this year, it was between 310 and 330MU. Last September, the peak demand was 220-240MU. On September 30, 2026, the peak demand was 298MU. On September 29, it was 313MU and on September 28, it was 329MU,” the officials said.