Reeling under a peak power deficit of around 800 MW and grappling with plunging reservoir levels, Orissa has sought allocation of 500 MW power from Talcher Thermal Power Station-TTPS (Stage-II) of National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to help plug in the deficit.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has urged the Union power minister Sushil Kumar Shinde to allocate the state's legitimate share of 500 MW from the power station. Orissa is facing a peak power shortfall of around 800 MW compared to the demand of 3300 MW of power during the peak hours, Patnaik said in the letter to the Union power minister. Disruptions in NTPC's power stations had triggered power crisis in the state.
The disruptions in power supply from NTPC's power stations had created a shortfall of 300-350 MW, the state energy secretary G Mathivathanan had admitted recently. As against its share of 218 MW from the Farakka power station, the state was getting 140 MW. Similarly, the power supply to the state grid from NTPC's Kaniha plant had dipped from 518 MW to 308 MW. The supply from TTPS had also fell by 50-60 MW.
The chief minister also highlighted that the power shortfall in the state was worsened by falling reservoir levels.
“Since only 25 per cent of water is available in the reservoirs of the major hydro power stations of south Orissa at Upper Kolab, Upper Indravati and Balimela, this has led to a drastic decline in hydro power availability. This has resulted in an acute power deficit situation in Orissa, seriously affecting the general public, agricultural operations and industrial production,” Patnaik said in the letter.