GEB eyes Rs 10,000 cr revenue from core business

Gujarat Electricity Board (GEB), which has about 57 per cent of its installed capacity of power generation in Gujarat, expects to generate revenue of around Rs 10,000 crore from its core business this financial year.

GEB earned revenue of Rs 907 crore from its core business of power generation, transmission and distribution in July. The company is targeting to increase its revenue up to Rs 950 crore in coming months.

"The growth in revenue is due to the control over leakage in the supply system, which we have reduced by over 2 per cent. The control over leakage has enabled us to save Rs 133 crore," said Vijylaxmi Joshi, chairperson of GEB.

The power generation in the state is likely to shoot up due to the good rain received in the current season.

"The power generation will increase by around 540 MW with 240 MW increase in Kadana Hydro Power Station (installed capacity 277.55 MW) and 300 MW in Ukai Thermal Power Station (installed capacity 850 MW)," said Joshi. GEB has added 29 new sub-stations during 2003-04 and is in the process of adding 40 more sub-stations.

GEB currently provides 24-hour electricity supply to over 3,500 villages in the state.

GEB aims to cover 18,000 villages, which gets electricity for eight hours a day, under the Jyoti Gram Yojna (JGY) soon to provide uninterrupted power supply.

Gujarat is the first Indian state to achieve 100 per cent electrification of villages.