Metro won’t buy Transco’s power

TS Transco has lost another key consumer. Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) has decided to purchase power in the open access system instead of purchasing it from TS Southern Power Distribution Company (SPDCL). The TS government has accepted HMR’s decision and allowed it to purchase power in the open access system.

HMR needs 70 MW of power per day to run the metro rail in the city. The cost of power in the open access system is cheaper than purchasing from SPDCL. The cost of power per unit from SPDCL is about `8, whereas in the open access system it is around `4 per unit, plus `1.50 as wheeling charges to SPDCL for using its network.

The cost of power will also come down at night from `4 per unit to `2. TS Transco also sells power at night, when the demand is low, at `2 per unit.

HMR was earlier going to buy power from SPDCL and for this reason it the latter created a separate category — High Tension IX (HTIX) — and proposed to sell power to HMR at `7.08 per unit. HMR's decision to look elsewhere for cheaper power is likely to cause SPDCL to lose huge revenue . SOLAR ROOFTOPS To bring its electricity costs down further, HMR has decided to set up solar rooftops in all 64 metro railway stations in the city and has signed a memorandum of understanding with GreenKo Energy Company for the same.

The lease agreement is for 25 years. HMR will provide space to set up solar rooftop units in all metro rail stations. HMR will pay `2 per unit, plus wheeling charges to SPDCL as decided by the TS Electricity Regulatory Commission. It will end up paying on average `4 per unit, including the wheeling charge.