Monsoon bounty: Punjab’s hydel power output doubles

With all hydel projects producing more power,Punjab is a power-surplus state these days while last year it was imposing power cuts to the tune of three to four hours everyday.

Sources say the state is currently getting a total of 210.58 lakh power units every day from various dams,which is far more than the almost 140 lakh units received last year on November 18.

While Punjab’s own hydel power generation stood at 111.05 lakh units on Friday,against only 62 lakh units produced on the same day last year,it is also receiving an additional 99.53 lakh units as its share from Bhakhra,Pong and Dahar hydel projects. The maximum power of 39 lakh units (Lus) is produced at Ranjit Sagar Dam,against only 8.67 LUs produced last year on the same day.

Punjab is getting 59.01 LUs from Bhakhra,26.93 LUs from Dahar and another 13.06 LUs from Pong Dam,up from 57 LUs,21 LUs and 8 LUs received last year respectively.

Punjab State Power Corporation Chairman and Managing Director K.D. Chaudhari said,due to increased hydel generation,Punjab’s power position is much more comfortable this year and thus arrangements are being made to get adequate power during the 2011 paddy season.

Under the arrangements,power borrowed during last summer is being returned and surplus power is being banked with the states of Jammu & Kashmir,Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh,where 70 LUs are being returned/banked with these states each day.

Similarly,about 90 LUs of power are being banked with the states of Tamil Nadu,Uttarakhand and Rajasthan each day so that this power is made available to Punjab during the 2011 paddy season.

Speaking on the coal position,Chaudhari said that sufficient stocks were available at all its three thermal plants,with 38 days’ stock available at GNDTP,Bathinda; 36 days’ stock at GGSSTP,Ropar and 22 days’ stock at GHTP,Lehra Mohabat.