A fall in the gas production at Reliance Industries’ KG-D6 wells in the Bay of Bengal at 34.5 million metric standard cubic meter per day (mmscmd) has led to a negative growth rate in the country’s gas-based power generation — of 13.92 per cent in January and of 4.72 per cent during April 2011-January 2012, according to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).
The resultant shortage in the supply of gas led to a total loss of generation — it was 1,247 million units (mu) during December, and 5,108 mu in April-December 2011.
According to CEA, the actual generation during the month from thermal plants was less than the generation programme (1.24 per cent) for the month. However, it has achieved a growth rate of 3.31 per cent compared with the corresponding month last year. The generation from hydro power plants has had a negative growth rate of 5.07 per cent in comparison with the corresponding month last year due to less inflow.
Moreover, the country’s electricity generation during January reduced to 2.43 per cent compared with 9.65 per cent reported during January last year, CEA said.
The reduced growth rate (2.43 per cent) during the month was due to less growth rate of nuclear generation (3.47 per cent), besides negative growth rates of hydro generation (-5.07 per cent) and of gas-based generation (-13.92 per cent, excluding liquid fuel and diesel).
The liquid fuel-based stations recorded a negative growth rate of 73.24 per cent in January, and 52.54 per cent April 2011-January 2012. The average plant load factor (PLF) achieved by the gas/liquid fuel-based plants during January was further reduced to merely 54.55 per cent, against a PLF of 65.55 per cent achieved during same period last year. Average PLF of gas plants located in the southern region was the lowest during January — at 50.65 per cent, against a PLF of 60.03 per cent achieved by the gas plants located in the southern region during the same month last year.
Ten gas-based power stations, with an aggregate installed capacity of 2,897 mega watts, operated at a PLF above 80 per cent during January. Among these, three power plants each are under the central and private sectors, while four under the state sector.
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Tata Power-run 180-Mw gas-based project at Trombay in northeast Mumbai had achieved a PLF 102.41 per cent during the month.
Similarly, the energy generation from the hydro-electric stations (excluding import from Bhutan) during January was less by 0.04 per cent than its target. Less inflow led to a negative growth rate of 5.07 per cent in the generation from hydro plants during January vis-a-vis the generation during the year-ago period. However, the generation from hydro power plants for the period April 2011– January 2012 has achieved a positive growth rate — of 17.38 per cent, as compared to 8.92 per cent achieved during the corresponding period last year.
The thermal generation during the month was less by 791 mu to the program by (1.23 per cent). However, it did achieve a growth rate of 3.31% in comparison to the corresponding month last year. The PLF of thermal stations during January was 76.38 per cent in comparison to 80.17 per cent during January last year. The PLF of coal-based thermal generation has reduced to 76.34 per cent in January against 80.36 per cent in January last year and 72.42 per cent during April 2011-January 2012 against 73.93 per cent during April 2010- January 2011. The reduction was mainly due to less generation by some units. This happened due to various reasons such as transmission evacuation problem, less demand, coal shortages and forced outages.