Bhubaneswar: With water levels in major reservoirs in Odisha falling drastically due to scanty rainfall, the Energy department has chalked out plans to ensure uninterrupted power supply to consumers during the ensuing summer.
Department officials said besides urging independent power producers (IPP) to supply power, the department hopes to get power through the power banking model. Power banking is a cashless operation through which the State will return equivalent amount of power to those states it borrows power from during the monsoon, officials added.
“Plans are afoot to get some power through power banking this time. Besides, some IPPs like Ind-Barath, a power infrastructure developer, have been requested to co-operate with us as per our needs during the peak summer. We hope there will be no power cut during the summer like previous year,” Sangramjeet Nayak, additional secretary, Energy department, said.
The official added the government had resorted to power cut for around two months from September due to a fall in the water level of major reservoirs in the State.
According to sources, an action plan has been prepared on the basis of requirement of power and generation capacity from January to June in the past several years. According to an official assessment, the State's average demand of power is 2,850 MW in January which goes up to 3,800 MW during peak hour. Similarly, the average and peak hour demand in February will be 2,900 MW and 3,850 MW, respectively.
In March, there would be a requirement of 3,150 MW and 3,950 MW of power during normal and peak hours. The average demand would go up to 3,450 MW and the peak demand will be 4,050 MW in April. Similarly in May, average demand for power will be 3,500 MW while it is expected to be 4,100 MW during peak hour. The position will be same in June 2016.
Officials said currently, the State gets 1,200 MW from hydro projects, 350 MW from IB Thermal Power Plant, Banharpali in Jharsuguda, 380 MW from Talcher Thermal Power Station, Talcher, 580 MW from central share and 700 MW from IPPs.