Punjab bets on ‘normal’ monsoon,tie-ups to cope with power demand

Though power cuts are getting longer in the state,K D Chaudhary,member of interim committee formed after unbundling of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB),said the shortfall at present was around 200 mega watt (MW). Ruling out possibility of the demand-supply gap worsening in the coming months,he said the state had made sufficient tie-ups for power purchase.

“We hope to supply eight hours of power to the farm sector during the paddy sowing months and also meet higher demand from domestic and commercial sector as the monsoon this year is expected to be normal and we have already made power purchase arrangements and tie-ups with power surplus states such as Himachal and power trading companies to meet the gap,” he said.

Meanwhile,to meet its growing power deficit,Punjab put up a strong case for a nuclear power plant in the state on Wednesday. At the conference of state power ministers at New Delhi,Punjab Food and Civil Supply Minister Adesh Partap Singh Kairon highlighted the state’s growing demand for power on account of water-intensive crops such as paddy.

“We have argued that Punjab being a land-locked state,far from coal mines should get a higher share in Central power projects. Our power purchase is mainly to ensure high contribution to central pool of foodgrains. We have demanded 1,000 MW during the upcoming paddy season and coal linkage for Punjab’s largest power plant at Gidderbaha,” Kairon said.

Kairon also highlighted the delay in execution of the 4000 MW Lara Thermal Super Thermal project in Chattisgarh in which Punjab was promised a 1,500 MW share. The meet also discussed policy decisions regarding power under the 12th Five Year Plan.