Dabhol spillover may keep state in the dark

The whole of Maharashtra, barring Mumbai, will experience an unprecedented shortage of power in the next two years owing to the MSEB’s ...

The whole of Maharashtra, barring Mumbai, will experience an unprecedented shortage of power in the next two years owing to the MSEB’s failure to add capacity to meet ever-rising demand for power. MSEB chairman A.K. Mago admitted that the board will have no option but to resort to massive load-shedding during the period to tide over the situation.

‘‘We are trying to improve things, but in absence of capacity addition, we may not be able to meet peak demand. As of now, there is a shortfall of 1,500- 2,000 MW, particularly during peak hours,’’ he said. Mago was hopeful that the power situation would improve marginally in Nov-Dec, since by then the demand from the agriculture sector falls.

‘‘Of course, despite such a situation, we are tapping the NTPC for more power,’’ Mago said. He admitted that the MSEB was not in a position to enhance capacity to generate more power in the near future.‘‘We are not adding any power. But we are sure, there will be some capacity addition, once we get some power from the Sardar Sarovar Project as well the Ghatghar hydro-electric project,’’ he said.

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Though MSEB officials maintained that load-shedding ranged from two hours to three years, load-shedding in rural and mofussil areas was between 12 hours to 18 hours. And in some villages there was no power for days together. As a result, rural areas were facing serious law and order problems.

In Amravati district, a MSEB official was beaten up by angry villagers, while in Bhiwandi, another official was manhandled.‘‘Certainly, it is a serious problem. Power shortage has created law and order problems in rural areas.’’

The MSEB had been completely banking on Dabhol which was to generate 2100 MW after completion of the second phase. But the plan collapsed after Dabhol shut down.

Since then, things have been looking up, with the state government deciding to buy Dabhol power at rates prescribed by lending institutions. But it will take seven to nine months for this. The IDBI will be dispatching a high-level team to Dabhol on Oct 28 for an on-the-spot study of the project.

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A senior official said there were constraints on drawing power both from neighbouring states or the Western Grid as well. In fact, a senior Power Grid Corporation official has warned all participating states that the grid was on the verge of collapse.

Most blame the MSEB for completely banking on Dabhol. “It should have added more capacity during the 10th plan,” said Shiv Sena MP Subodh Mohite, who is also the member of the Energy Committee of Parliament.

Mohite feels that since the MSEB knew that Enron was locked in a legal battle, it should have drafted its own strategy for capacity addition. ‘‘When I took it up with the government, I was informed that unless the row over Dabhol was resolved, we will not consider capacity addition. I feel such an approach reflects its attitude towards demand for more power,’’ Mohite said.