Punjab braces for power outages amid drying-up coal stocks

PATIALA: Amid severe coal shortage, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) with the approval of the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) will resort to load shedding across the state once the paddy sowing commences.

The PSPCL is expected to be power surplus for most part of 2022-23 -- except in June and July. With the paddy sowing picking up, the power demand, too, rose.

To work out a solution, the PSPCL turned to the commission to regulate supply to various categories of consumers and impose power cuts during June and July. As per the PSPCL, during June and July this year, the power demand is likely to remain well above 15,500 MW, while the transmission import capability is likely to be enhanced up to 8,500 MW.

Due to non-availability of power from GVK (due to PPA termination) if the PSPCL is able to maintain even full output within the state’s generation capacity of around 6,100 MW and is able to book the entire transmission capacity, which otherwise depends on the market price trends, around 14,600 MW of power can be arranged.

The PSPCL further contended that delayed monsoon causing continuous dry spell and high temperatures can lead to an unexpected rise in demand of all consumer categories.

Under such circumstances, the PSPCL will have to impose power cuts/power regulatory measures on different categories of consumers, including industrial ones to provide an eighthour uninterrupted power supply to the farm sector, depending upon the demand/supply gap, especially between June 10 and July 10, the PSPCL stated.

After hearing the objections, the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission allowed the PSPCL to impose the minimum cut, if need arises, to bridge the demand-supply gap in case of exigencies and system requirements only. However, the PSERC said that routine power cuts will not be imposed in Punjab on any category of consumers unless an emergent situation arises. It also directed the PSPCL to inform all type of consumers before imposing any cut.