VIJAYAWADA: The Union Ministry of Power has asked all coal-based power generation units in all states to run at full capacity, noting that electricity prices would increase if generation is not ramped up to the available capacity. The union ministry further noted that despite the earlier directive, some thermal generation units were not operating at full capacity and added that power stations are required to be available and ready to dispatch power “at all times” to meet the demand as per Tariff Policy, 2016.
“...It has been brought to the notice of government of India that some power plants are still not generating to their full capacity and some capacity remains idle and unutilised...If generation capacity is not available, it would result in supply side constraint resulting in higher prices of electricity due to demand and supply imbalance,” said the letter from the ministry to all state generation companies, state load despatch centres and independent power producers.
The ministry also advised all coal-based generation units to maintain coal stocks to meet their obligations and ensure availability of plants to meet the electricity demand as per grid requirement.“If domestic coal supplies fall short of requirements, they may be blended with imported coal up to 15 per cent,” the ministry said.
Meanwhile, the union ministry has appreciated Andhra pradesh for its ‘extraordinary’ efforts to promote energy efficiency and energy conservation in a mission mode. “Union secretary of power Alok Kumar appreciated Andhra Pradesh and said that AP became a role model by setting up a dedicated state designated agency (SDA) -- AP State Energy Conservation Mission -- for energy conservation and energy efficiency and appointing chief secretary as the chairman. Out of 36 state designated agencies, only two states Andhra Pradesh and Kerala have formed stand alone SDAs and these states are pioneers in the establishment of mechanism,” a statement from the energy department said on Sunday.
The union secretary further said that the union ministry of power would amend the Energy Conservation Act, 2001, to make establishment of state energy efficiency agencies mandatory. State energy secretary Srikant Nagulapalli informed the union ministry that AP accords priority status to the promotion of energy efficiency for long-term sustainability of the power sector. “The state government also considers energy as a key driver of economic growth and an important part of energy security,” he said.