TS gets 1,000 MW power gap

Electricity from Chhattisgarh will not reach the state this summer

The state will not be able to get power from Chhattisgarh as work on the Wardha-Hyderabad transmission line has not been completed. It is expected that the work will take three more months to complete, meaning that power from Chhattisgarh will flow to the state only in June.

The line was to supply 1,000 MW, for which the state government had signed a memorandum of understanding with Chhattisgarh.

The Power Grid Corporation of India had announced a week ago that it had completed construction of the Wardha-Hyderabad transmission line. However, work on three important towers, which are part of the line, have not been completed.

Transco director (projects and grid operation) G. Narasing Rao said officials had initially estimated power demand at 9,500 MW for 2017-18 year. That is being revised upwards by 500 MW in view of temperatures rising quickly, and a very hot summer being forecast

With power supply from Chhattisgarh now getting delayed, Transco is making alternative arrangements. Mr Rao said Transco was ready to purchase power from other states if necessary.

Mr Rao said said there would be no problem to meet the power demand despite the absence of the power from Chhattisgarh.

He said there would be no power cuts during the summer.

Officials are expecting higher power demand from urban centres like Karimnagar, Warangal, Khammam and Nalgonda. The household per capita consumption is also expected to increase.

Besides, major industrial projects such as Bayyaram Steel Plant and infrastructure additions like Hyderabad Metro Rail, Water Grid and lift irrigation schemes once they are complete will require greater quanta of power.

The installed capacity of power projects in the state is 2,882 MW of thermal, 2,352 MW of hydel and 5,693 MW of non-conventional power projects.

In addition, Central government owned power projects have an installed capacity of 4,099 MW in the state.

■ THREE TOWERS have not been constructed in Chhattisgarh, leaving project incomplete.

■ TS TRANSCO says it can buy power, make up for the shortfall.