Delayed monsoon has added to the woes of state-run NHPC as the company witnessed 5-10% drop in generation in the past 10 days, due to scarce rainfall in the northern part of India.
"Average data of the last 10 days indicate 5-10% less generation loss...Which is approximately 7-8 million units per day," NHPC Chairman and Managing Director A B L Srivastava told reporters here.
NHPC generated 6,000 million units of electricity in the first three months (April-June) of the current financial year, which is 3% lower than the same period last fiscal.
The company generated 6,200 million units of electricity in Q1 of 2011-12.
"This decline is mainly due to low discharge at our run-of-the-river (ROR) projects because of delay in rains," he said.
However, the company is hopeful that the situation would improve and it would be able to cover up on the lost generation.
At present, hydro power accounts for over 22% of country's total installed capacity of more than 200,000 MW.
Earlier in the day, Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said the electricity situation in the country would improve in the next fortnight.
As per latest official data, the country saw a power deficit -- shortfall in meeting the demand -- of 13,653 MW on Tuesday. The total power requirement stood at about 1,29,017 MW, of which only 1,15,364 MW was met.
Meanwhile, the company today commissioned its 231 MW Chamera-III project in Himachal Pradesh.
"With the commissioning of this project the installed capacity of NHPC has gone up to 5,526 MW, which includes 1,520 MW through its JV subsidiary NHDC," Srivastava said.
The power generated from the company's Chamera project will benefit the states of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarkhand among others.
NHPC expects to commission three more projects by December, 2012. "All efforts are being made to commission the two units of the Chutak project in Jammu & Kashmir and we are hopeful of commissioning TLDP and Parbati by the end of this calender year," he added.
The construction work at the company's Uri project which got stalled due to local agitation has picked up pace and the company may commission the plant by December, 2012.
NHPC which has a capital expenditure target of Rs 4,090 crore for the current financial year, has already spent a major chunk of that money on the upcoming projects.