Karnataka saving on hydel & coal stock to meet Bengaluru’s summer demand

Bengaluru’s technology and manufacturing hubs as well as shopping malls are unlikely to face any power shortage in summer months with the Energy department taking steps to conserve hydel and coal resources right away. The electricity demand will increase from February onwards.

Chief Minister H.D.Kumaraswamy reviewed the power supply situation in Bengaluru and summer preparedness last week. “We have never resorted to load shedding in Bengaluru. In summer too, we will continue to give 24-hour power supply,” the CM told ET in a recent chat.

The government is using solar and wind sources as much as available, and saving on coal and hydel capacity to meet the summer demand, Additional Chief Secretary (Energy department) P.Ravikumar told ET.

The Raichur Thermal Power Station (RTPS) and Bellary Thermal Power Station (BTPS) have a stock of 3 lakh and 1.5 lakh tonnes of coal, respectively, which can meet 15 days of their fuel requirements. Yaramaras station is sitting on 43,000 tonnes of coal stock which can meet 10 days of its fuel need. In Udupi Power station too, the KPTCL is drawing power from only one unit, and other thermal stations are operating far below their load factor in preparation for summer demand.

The State is, at the moment, getting 4700 MW of solar and about 729 MW of wind power. The electricity supply companies (Escoms) could actually draw 42 million units (MUs) of power a day from hydel sources, but is drawing far below -- 35 MUs on Tuesday, for instance -- to conserve hydel power for summer, Ravikumar said.

On Thursday morning, 40% of Karnataka’s load of 11,000 MW was being met by solar installations, the Additional Chief Secretary said. The cost of solar power has been dropping, and the latest bidder for a solar project floated by the Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Agency (KREDL) has quoted a price of Rs 1.53 per unit.

As of December end, Karnataka had commissioned 5340 MW of solar capacity and 4747 MW of wind capacity.

Selco Foundation founder Harish Hande, in his remarks at a media workshop on Wednesday, said India was better positioned compared to the US and China. “India can use its renewable energy potential to meet its development goals, than meet the demand-supply gap,” he said. He gave the example of California which has targeted to have 100% of its need met by decentralised renewable energy installations in 25 years from now, though the grid power there costs as low as Rs 3 per unit.