Energy Minister Nitin Raut blames Adani Power for sudden stop of 1,400 mw electricity supply
Nagpur: The flip-flop over load-shedding continues in Maharashtra. After almost six days, the State-run power distribution company Mahavitaran (MSEDCL) has revived the load shedding of 1,400 to 2,000 mw from Thursday. It would continue for another five to six days after Adani Power suddenly reduced the power supply by 1,400 mw and 300 mw by JSW, according to media reports.
Further, Coastal Gujarat Power Ltd has brought down the power supply to 630 mw against 760 mw as assured after the recent Cabinet decision. The load shedding is also inevitable as the power demand has soared to 24,500 mw but for want of coal and rakes, the MahaGenco was unable to generate at full capacity.
According reports, Maharashtra Government has sent notice to Adani Power (APML) & JSW Power under the Electricity Act 2003 and regulations of the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission for not providing adequate electricity supply and sudden stop of power supply, Action will be taken against them for non-compliance of power purchase agreement, said Energy Minister Nitin Raut.
Raut, who after attending the review meeting, said the MSEDCL has resumed the load shedding as suddenly there has been a drop of 1,830 mw of power supply from Adani Power, JSW and Coastal Gujarat Power ltd. The Minister said that load shedding is inevitable as the demand for power has increased sharply due to summer. Besides, there are constraints on MahaGenco’s generation due to a reduction in coal supply by the Centre and also a lack of availability of adequate rakes. Moreover, the decision by Adani Power, JSW and Coastal Gujarat Power Ltd to suddenly reduce the power supply has led to the power deficit resulting in load shedding by MahaVitaran, Raut stated.
In addition, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) is facing serious problems in the purchase of 2,000 mw from power exchanges and open markets as power is not available as few power plants have been either closed down or reduced generation for want of sufficient coal in various parts of the country, The Energy Minister noted.
Raut has appealed to the electricity consumers to save power and cooperate with MahaVitaran in handling the present situation.
While earlier the load-shedding was confined to heavy loss making feeders categorised as G-1, G-2 and G-3, a new circular issued on April 18, 2022, by MSEDCL, said due to shortage of power, load-shedding ranging from 1.30 to 5 hours would be carried out on all feeders that are categorised on basis of distribution and calculation losses. The new guidelines state that there is a shortfall in power supply due to shortage of coal and heavy increase in demand due to lifting of all COVID-19 related restrictions.
The circular issued by Executive Director (II) mentions that emergency load-shedding is being implemented as and when required at present. Now, load-shedding will be carried out even in A to F category feeders and notified the criteria for the same. In Group A the load-shedding hours will be 1.30 hours against distribution losses of 0 to 18 per cent, in Group B about two hours for losses of 18 to 26 per cent, for C-26 to 34 per cent power cuts would be of 2.30 hours, in Group D- three hours for losses in 34 to 42 per cent, Group E-losses of 42 to 50 per cent the cuts will be of 3.30 hours, in Group F-for 50 to 58 percent losses the load-shedding will be of four hours.
Similarly for G-1 category feeders the time of power cuts would be 4.15 hours and they are those where losses range from 58 to 66 per cent, in G-2 from 66 to 74 per cent the power cuts are for 4.30 hours and in G-3 category where losses are above 74 per cent the load-shedding will be of five hours at stretch. MSEDCL has also said a similar rule of load-shedding protocol would also apply for Mix agriculture dominated feeders.
