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The power ministry h
as sought to allayconcerns of Uttar Pradesh residents on an alleged severe shortage of electricityin the state. Angry residents are taking to the streets protesting over near 12-hour power cuts in many areas post the general elections.
UP has a peak power demand of 12,700 Megawatt (Mw) against which over 10,700 Mw is being met, leaving a shortfall of around 2,000 Mw. This has forced Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) to take up rostering or re-allocation in many areas including rural districts.
"Paricha plant of 500 Mw capacity which went on forced outage yesterday has been restored and isgenerating on full load," the ministry said in a statement. However, Lanco Infratech's 600 Mw Anpara-C power plant is currently out as the company failed to procure imported coal. Coal supply to the project from Coal India is more than 90% which is as per linkage.
The ministry also said enough power isavailable to UP from the central sector generatingstations under the state's quota. "The state is not taking power equivalent to its allocation from gas-basedstations of Anta, Auraiya and Dadri. In case requisition is made by state distributionutilities, around 300 Mw can be made available immediately," the ministry said. The power ministry also suggested multiple optionsto UP government to tide over the crisis. This includes improving its current internal generation from 4,500 Mw to over 10,000 Mw; buying power from other surplusstates in the northern region and tapping the electricity exchanges forshort-term power.
