Mumbai may escape power cuts

The city may not have to suffer power cuts after all as both the Tata Power Company (TPC) and Reliance Energy Limited (REL) have promised us to source around 150 Mw of power within the next two days, said senior official from the state government's energy ministry.

MSEB had complained that the TPC, which is bulk supplier to both the power distribution utilities in Mumbai, BEST and REL is overdrawing around 200 Mw to ensure that city gets uninterrupted power supply.

MSEB expressed its unwillingness to allow Tata Power Company to overdraw from the state's grid as the state is facing a power shortage of around 5,000 Mw and rural areas in the state are reeling under 12-14 hours of power cut.

Fears were expressed that Mumbai, the only metro in country which doesn't have to face power cuts, may loose this distinction. Following this, state energy secretary Rahul Asthana had called a meeting of MSEB, TPC, BEST and REL on Sunday.

During meeting, both Tata Power Company and REL officials promised the energy secretary to source around 150 Mw of power in the next couple of days from various sources which would take care of a major portion of the need and hence no power cuts will be required in city, said a senior energy ministry official.

TPC and REL supply 1,770 Mw and 500 Mw of power to the city respectively. But suddenly, the demand for power has risen by 400 Mw and Tata Power Company managed to source around 200 Mw from various sources which include 60 Mw from its power plant in Jharkhand, 100 Mw from the hydro plant in Sikkim and 100 Mw from the Hyderabad-based Lanco.

Even then Tata Power Company was finding it difficult to source another 200 Mw to meet the city's power needs. Hence, it was over drawing from the state's grid, sources pointed out.

If at all power cuts do affect the city, the suburbs will be hit first where REL supplies the power as due to some differences between both the companies there has been no power purchase agreement in place between Tata Power Company and REL.

Even after having power cuts in suburbs if we couldn't bridge the demand-supply gap then the city will also have to take hit, said sources in TPC.