India's Power Sector

The Technology & Economic Forum is a venue to discuss issues pertaining to Technological and Economic developments in India. We request members to kindly stay within the mandate of this forum and keep their exchanges of views, on a civilised level, however vehemently any disagreement may be felt. All feedback regarding forum usage may be sent to the moderators using the Feedback Form or by clicking the Report Post Icon in any objectionable post for proper action. Please note that the views expressed by the Members and Moderators on these discussion boards are that of the individuals only and do not reflect the official policy or view of the Bharat-Rakshak.com Website. Copyright Violation is strictly prohibited and may result in revocation of your posting rights - please read the FAQ for full details. Users must also abide by the Forum Guidelines at all times.
Kakkaji
BRF Oldie
Posts: 3866
Joined: 23 Oct 2002 11:31

Post by Kakkaji »

NTPC keen to acquire Dabhol LNG terminal
New Delhi, April 6 (PTI): NTPC Ltd, one of the promoters of Dabhol power project's new owner Ratnagiri Gas & Power Pvt Ltd, on Thursday said it was keen to acquire the LNG terminal associated with the project and was ready to infuse Rs 500 crore into cash-starved RGPPL for the purpose.

Roy, who also heads RGPPL, said NTPC was keen to acquire the five million tonnes liquefied natural gas terminal linked with the 2,150 MW Dabhol power plant.

NTPC's statement comes after another RGPPL promoter GAIL (India) Ltd said last month it was also willing to infuse Rs 500 crore into RGPPL provided it was given the LNG terminal.

Both NTPC and Gail had put in Rs 500 crore into RGPPL to acquire 28.33 per cent each at the time of taking over Dabhol assets. Maharashtra State Electricity Board and IDBI-led lenders control the remaining equity stake in RGPPL.

Sources said the Empowered Group of Ministers on Dabhol was exploring the options of infusing additional money into RGPPL so as to complete the revival process of the power plant and LNG terminal. Already, the revival cost has shot up to Rs 12,600 crore from Rs 10,300 estimated earlier.

While FIs are reluctant to infuse more money into the project, a solution mooted to tide over the crisis was to ask Gail or NTPC to inject Rs 500 crore for the LNG terminal. In return, Gail and NTPC were promised the first right to buy the terminal in case it is sold after hiving off.
Suraj
Forum Moderator
Posts: 15043
Joined: 20 Jan 2002 12:31

Post by Suraj »

Tatas to take hold of Mundra project
Even as the 4,000 mw Sasan ultra mega power project in Madhya Pradesh lies in limbo, the other ultra mega project in Mundra (Gujarat), which was put up for bidding along with Sasan, will soon be owned by the winning bidder — Tata Power.

The Power Finance Corporation (PFC) — the nodal agency for ultra mega power projects — is targetting the transfer of the shell company floated for the Mundra project to Tata Power by May 1, 2007. This is over two months behind schedule.

The shell company — Coastal Gujarat Power Limited (CGPL) — was floated by PFC to take statutory clearances for land, water linkages and environment from Gujarat government. The project relies on imported coal as fuel.

Along with merging the shell company with itself, Tata Power will sign the power purchase agreement (PPA) and submit performance bank guarantees worth Rs 300 crore.

Tata Power had won the award for building the Mundra project by quoting the lowest power tariff of Rs 2.26 per unit, outbidding Reliance Energy (Rs 2.66 per unit), Adani Exports (Rs 2.70), Larsen & Toubro (Rs 3.22), Sterlite (Rs 3.74) and Essar (Rs 4.06) per unit.

Tata Power has given a schedule of about 48 months for building the Rs 16,000 crore project in five units of 800 mw each. The financial closure is expected around August 2007. The other seven proposed ultra mega power projects are at various stages of starting up.
shyamd
BRF Oldie
Posts: 7101
Joined: 08 Aug 2006 18:43

Post by shyamd »

Solar power lights up remote villages
R. Sairam

Rural electrification project executed all over India


MADURAI: Many villages in the Western Ghats are remote and inaccessible, situated as high as 4,000 feet. And they go without electricity.

However, thanks to the Rural Village Electrification Project, they are being lit up by solar lights.

The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is executing the project across the country to provide solar equipment in villages till electricity reaches them. It gives 100 per cent subsidy. The Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency is the nodal agency in the State.

TNEB's approval

Prior to the project being launched at a location, the concurrence of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board and the Forest Department is obtained, as many villages are tucked deep in jungles.

The District Rural Development Agency coordinates the execution with villagers. A project officer from the agency is identifying the places with the help of the Block Development Officers. Bharat Electronics Limited is executing the contract.

Says TEDA Deputy General Manager S.M. Vijayakumar: "Most of these places are in an inhospitable terrain. While a majority of the villages have buses just twice a day, the remaining do not have any at all."

The entire sanctioned streetlights and home lights for villages surrounding Theni have been installed. Work is in progress in areas around Kanyakumari. More villages will be covered later.

Nominal fee

In Theni, 32 streetlights as well as 610 home lights have been put up, says Mr. Vijayakumar. And 1,100 home lights have been sanctioned to Kanyakumari.

A nominal fee is collected by panchayats for maintenance.

While each home light system costs Rs. 8,000, a streetlight kit costs Rs. 27,550.
shyamd
BRF Oldie
Posts: 7101
Joined: 08 Aug 2006 18:43

Post by shyamd »

Biogas plant to power 50 streetlights
T. Madhavan

— Photo: A. Muralitharan

NOVEL VENTURE: Elected representatives and officials of the Tiruneermalai town panchayat inspecting the plant.

CHENNAI: A Rs. 6.15-lakh biogas plant, utilising human waste, is nearing completion at Durga Nagar under the Tiruneermalai town panchayat in Kancheepuram district.

The town panchayat, which is funding the non-conventional energy project, began work on the 25-cubic metre plant on a trial basis in December 2006. It is likely to be completed in a fortnight.

According to site engineers, night soil from 240 housing units of the TNHB housing colony will be deposited in a sump.

After the biological changes, the sludge will generate methane gas. This will be piped to a power generator, which will power streetlights in the area.

"Power generation from the plant will be 3 kva, sufficient for providing power to 50 lights for five hours," says R. Devadoss, Executive Officer of the town panchayat. After treatment, the wastewater and sludge can be utilised for gardening.

According to officials of the Directorate of Town Panchayat, this is the first plant of its kind in Kancheepuram district. It is planned to extend the non-conventional energy model to other areas.
vsudhir
BRF Oldie
Posts: 2173
Joined: 19 Jan 2006 03:44
Location: Dark side of the moon

Post by vsudhir »

Zero Watt In My Bulb : The power crisis in India is going from bad to worse (by Lola :D Nayar Outlook)
* Indian firms lose 9% output due to power shortage. In China and Malaysia this figure is 2%. Also, power costs 74% more in India than Malaysia and 39% more than in China.
* There's a 20-25% power shortage in Maharashtra, 20% in Uttar Pradesh and 10-15% in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi
* Power generated by captive plants (of over 1 MW) is 20,000 MW. Though this is costlier, industry prefers it as it is at least steady.
* Many power-surplus states are getting into lucrative power trading business. Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal will benefit.
gashish
BRFite
Posts: 272
Joined: 23 May 2004 11:31
Location: BRF's tailgate party, aka, Nukkad thread

Post by gashish »

http://in.news.yahoo.com/070418/203/6eqh5.html

Erratic power supply shaves 1.5% off GDP every year
By Indian Express
Thursday April 19, 03:18 AM
Multiple problems related to the supply of power are adversely impacting both the bottomlines and productivity of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in India. A Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) study reveals that the Indian economy is losing 1.5 per cent of GDP due to power supply problems every year.

According to the study, the power supply is highly erratic and bulk consumers (high load users) do not get information on expected supply patterns. This results in heavy loss of production and deterioration of machines used by SMEs, due to sudden shutdowns and spikes in the supply voltage.

Unscheduled power cuts and irregular supply affect the full working of SME units to a great extent. A supply shortage of one unit of electricity results in a loss of output to the economy of between Rs 15-25. According to SME owners, there is a constant problem of dip in supply voltage.

For instance, high tension (HT) supplies dip to 9 kv in place of 11 kv causing a drop in the supply voltage to shop floors. In such cases, the supply to the shop dips to 350-380 volts, disturbing the production process and necessitating disconnection of State Electricity Board (SEB) supplies and a shift to diesel generators. There is no accountability at any level for the State Electricity Boards. Power problems also vary from region to region. For instance, the CII survey reveals, SMEs in the North-East region are officially allotted power for 25 days a month but actually receive supplies only for about 16-18 days. Further, at Rs 4.65 per unit, power costs in the North-East are among the highest. The Board charges a fixed flat charge over and above the unit charge, irrespective of consumption, which adds to the cost of power.

The study suggests that electricity tariffs should be kept low - at rates comparable to competing countries. Apart from this, SMEs should be given incentives to use alternative energy forms like solar and bio-mass energy in their production process. Arrangements can be made with distribution companies to obtain a pool from large organised industries' surplus power for supply to local SMEs through a cluster-based approach.

Group captive units, with multiple benefits such as cogeneration of steam and electricity for running captive power plants (CPPs), can offer solutions to power shortages. A reduction in electricity duty and power cess, too, would lower the burden on the industry, the study concludes.
Sanjay M
BRF Oldie
Posts: 4892
Joined: 02 Nov 2005 14:57

Post by Sanjay M »

CPI(M) schadenfreude over Detroit losses:

http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full ... _id=161898

Uh, and who created those jobs in the first place? Certainly not CPI(M)
Laks
BRFite
Posts: 192
Joined: 11 Jan 2005 20:47

Post by Laks »

I wonder how many of the UMPPs are going on schedule?
link
Controversy over Sasan ultra mega power project
The controversy over the award of the Sasan ultra mega power project has taken a new turn with Globeleq Singapore Pte Ltd, the company at the centre of the storm, accusing Ernst and Young of not being entirely honest in its deposition to the Power Finance Corporation (PFC).

Globeleq Singapore made the charge in a letter to Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde last week.

The 4000 megawatt project was initially awarded to a consortium of Lanco Infratech and Globeleq Singapore. But in February this year Globaleq Singapore was bought over by Lanco and Jindal Steel and Power. The second lowest bidder, Reliance Energy, then objected strongly to the award, claiming Lanco and Globaleq Singapore had concealed this crucial impending development while bidding. Ernst and Young, who were advisors in the deal, claimed they too had no idea of the buyout.

The letter has pointed that Ernst & Young are the auditors for Ernst Globeleq Singapore Ltd and also for Globeleq Ltd, its former parent company. It notes that Globaleq Singapore's annual accounts - which had been submitted to qualify for bidding - had clearly indicated its assets: the Sidi Kirr plant in Egypt, Songas in Tanzania, Cobee in Bolivia, Haripur and Meghnagat in Bangladesh.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/04/30/stories ... 620900.htm
Sasan power project under CVC scanner
NEW DELHI: In a significant development that is likely to upset the Power Ministry's plans to achieve "Power for All'' by 2012, the controversial 4,000 MW Sasan Ultra Mega Power Project (UMPP) in Madhya Pradesh has come under the "scanner'' of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) which has asked the Chief Vigilance Officer of the Power Ministry to probe the matter and submit a report by June-end.

Communication

In its communication to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy, the Union Ministry has stated: "Central Vigilance Commission [CVC] vide its letter dated March 26, 2007, addressed to the Ministry has directed the CVO of the Ministry of Power to conduct an investigation into a complaint received by the CVC regarding the controversy concerning the Sasan UMPP. The CVC has sought the investigation report within 12 weeks of the receipt of its order by the Ministry of Power.''
shyamd
BRF Oldie
Posts: 7101
Joined: 08 Aug 2006 18:43

Post by shyamd »

Agreement for supply of natural gas signed
Special Correspondent

A total of 113.620 MMBTU will be supplied to the power generating company.

CHENNAI: An agreement between Hindustan Oil Exploration Company Ltd. (HOEC) and PPN Power Generating Company for supply of natural gas to the latter was signed in the presence of the Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi here on Saturday.

The price of natural gas as per the agreement will be $3.75 per Million Metric British Thermal Units (MMBTU.) A total of 113.620 MMBTU will be supplied to PPN, the largest independent power producer in the State, with an installed capacity of 330.5 MW. It operates a combined cycle power plant located at Pillai Perumal Nallur, Nagapattinam district.

It is designed to operate on natural gas or naphtha or on a mixture of both. Commissioned in April 2001, the plant sells the entire generation of 2600 million units per annum, at 90 per cent plant load factor, to the TNEB.

Rs. 1,400-crore saving

As per the agreement, PPN will start receiving natural gas from an offshore gas field situated about 50 km north east of the power plant along the coast of Puducherry, which is owned and operated by HOEC.

Savings to the TNEB will be Rs.1,400 crore, according to an official press release.
Laks
BRFite
Posts: 192
Joined: 11 Jan 2005 20:47

Post by Laks »

While MH is suffering from acute power crisis ...
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/56721.html
Suzlon closes 44 turbines in Western Maharashtra
NEW DELHI, April 27 India's private wind major Suzlon closed 44 wind turbines in western Mahrashtra state due to protests from villagers.

The company said it had no option other than to shut down its turbines, as local residents have demanded more money for the land leased to Suzlon.

Suzlon also sought help from the state government to resolve the matter.

"The company has 222 MW installed capacity in Sangli, of which 74 MW was shut down," said Anil Kane, corporate adviser of the company. He said 74 MW works out to 34 percent of the installed capacity. Company officials met with state government officials on the issue Wednesday.

Suzlon spokesman Vivek Kher said though the company faced trouble for some time, this time the dispute had a serious effect on its power production.

"Despite our efforts to resolve the issue, we have not been getting support from the government. The issue has reached such a stage that we have no option than to defer the installations of turbines in Sangli and Dhule," Kher said. He said the company planned to shift some of the turbines to a neighboring state, mainly Gujarat.

"We are also forced to cancel the turbine installations in few other parts of Maharashtra," Kher said.
.. even as Suzlon is winning contracts and buying up cos abroad.
http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/re ... y?id=48360
Suzlon Announces 400-MW Deal With PPM Energy
Suzlon Wind Energy Corporation, the US-based subsidiary of Suzlon Energy A/S of Denmark, has signed a contract for a total of 400 MW of wind turbine capacity with PPM Energy of Portland, Oregon, one of the largest wind power developers in North America. The contract calls for delivery of 300 MW of turbine capacity in 2008 and 100 MW of capacity in 2009. This agreement is the single biggest contract that Suzlon has signed in the history of the company.
joshvajohn
BRFite
Posts: 1516
Joined: 09 Nov 2006 03:27

Something to think about - Power station harnesses Sun's ray

Post by joshvajohn »

Power station harnesses Sun's rays
By David Shukman
Science correspondent, BBC News, Seville
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6616651.stm

Solar thermal power station Image: BBC
A field of 600 mirrors reflects rays from the Sun

How the tower works

There is a scene in one of the Austin Powers films where Dr Evil unleashes a giant "tractor beam" of energy at Earth in order to extract a massive payment.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6616651.stm

Well, the memory of it kept me chuckling as I toured the extraordinary scene of the new solar thermal power plant outside Seville in southern Spain.

From a distance, as we rounded a bend and first caught sight of it, I couldn't believe the strange structure ahead of me was actually real.

A concrete tower - 40 storeys high - stood bathed in intense white light, a totally bizarre image in the depths of the Andalusian countryside.

The tower looked like it was being hosed with giant sprays of water or was somehow being squirted with jets of pale gas. I had trouble working it out.

In fact, as we found out when we got closer, the rays of sunlight reflected by a field of 600 huge mirrors are so intense they illuminate the water vapour and dust hanging in the air.

Field of mirrors Image: BBC

The effect is to give the whole place a glow - even an aura - and if you're concerned about climate change that may well be deserved.

It is Europe's first commercially operating power station using the Sun's energy this way and at the moment its operator, Solucar, proudly claims that it generates 11 Megawatts (MW) of electricity without emitting a single puff of greenhouse gas.

Ultimately, the entire plant should generate as much power as is used by the 600,000 people of Seville.

It works by focusing the reflected rays on one location, turning water into steam and then blasting it into turbines to generate power.

As I climbed out of the car, I could hardly open my eyes - the scene was far too bright. Gradually though, shielded by sunglasses, I made out the rows of mirrors (each 120 sq m in size) and the focus of their reflected beams - a collection of water pipes at the top of the tower.

It was probably the heat that did it, but I found myself making the long journey up to the very top - to the heart of the solar inferno.

Feeling the heat

A lift took me most of the way but cameraman Duncan Stone and I had to climb the last four storeys by ladder. We could soon feel the heat, despite thick insulation around the boiler.

David Shukman on top of the tower Image: BBC
David had to wear sunglasses to shield his eyes from the glare
It was like being in a sauna and for the last stages the metal rungs of the ladders were scalding.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6616651.stm
Vipul
BRF Oldie
Posts: 3727
Joined: 15 Jan 2005 03:30

Post by Vipul »

Work begins for nuclear plant in Maharashtra.

MUMBAI: The Nuclear Power Corp of India (NPCIL) has begun preparatory work in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri district, where there is potential to set up nuclear power plants totaling 8,000 to 10,000 MW.

The central government has given its in-principle approval for setting up nuclear power plants at the Jaitapur site in Ratnagiri after which NPCIL put up a camp office there.

In the first phase, the government has sanctioned two 1,000 MW plants, light water reactors (LWRs), in Jaitapur, which is in the coastal Konkan belt.

NPCIL officials said the corporation's chairman SK Jain was constantly reviewing the progress in Jaitapur.

"A land acquisition plan has been chalked out," said an official.
PradyD
BRFite -Trainee
Posts: 12
Joined: 28 Apr 2007 02:52

Post by PradyD »

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/58969.html

long article...

India to open power distribution

India plans to open up its power-distribution sector to allow multiple global and domestic private firms to deliver electricity directly to consumers, ending the monopoly of government-controlled companies.

The federal government asked the Power Ministry to put in place a mechanism that could boost competition in the power-distribution sector.

The move, if implemented, would end the monopoly of the government-controlled power companies, which are not only inefficient but are also responsible for large-scale power shortages. The Finance Ministry prepared a note that would be placed shortly for the approval of a federal Cabinet committee for infrastructure.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh heads the committee formed to recommend measures to boost investment in the infrastructure sector. India says it requires foreign direct investment of $320 billion for its infrastructure sector by 2010. The ruling United Progressive Alliance government included power as one of the main components of the infrastructure sector in its national common minimum program, a policy document prepared for governance by the alliance partners before assuming power.

Elaborating upon the details of the proposed power-distribution mechanism, the note says the distribution-wires business should be de-linked from the business of last-mile operations of delivering electricity to the end consumer. Under this provision, the transmission and distribution of wires in a particular area would be placed under a new company, which would allow distribution firms to have access to its network and source power from the grid to deliver it to the final consumer.

Provincial power grids will now only sell power to private companies and bill them under the proposed mechanism. Currently, state-run power companies have sole control over the grids and the distribution network. The new mechanism would transfer the existing distribution network to private companies either on a one-time charge or monthly renting system.

This new mechanism has already been put in place in Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh states, where private majors such as Reliance and Tata are controlling the transmission and distribution network (really????. The success of this experiment has encouraged the government to extend it to the national level. A Power Ministry spokesman said the proposed mechanism would be placed before the committee on infrastructure at its next meeting. The ministry has also been asked to prepare a success-story presentation of this mechanism in the states where it has been tried and tested.

"Once the two businesses are separated, multiple players can use the services of the distribution-wire company and compete for consumers. In return, they would have to pay the wire-company wheeling charges. They would also pay the charges of maintenance of the distribution network to the government," said K. Subramaniam, an energy analyst. The Finance Ministry, meanwhile, sent copies of the detailed note to the affected departments, seeking suggestions. The ministry also asked the state governments to adopt this model, once it is cleared by the infrastructure committee, in the ultra-mega power projects. India suffered a massive shortfall of 20,000 megawatts in power-capacity addition in the 10th five-year plan that ended in April.

India initiated power-sector reforms in 1991 to encourage competition and seek private participation in each sub-element of the sector: generation, transmission and distribution. It also announced fast-track private-sector projects with government guarantees. It was followed by the announcement of mega and ultra-mega power projects to attract large-scale global and domestic investment.

The efforts yielded no results, however. The government carried on with the reform plank and proceeded to bring in an independent and transparent regulatory regime. It set up a central electricity regulatory authority in 1998 to control all components of the power sector. The move was initiated to help state electricity boards recover their huge losses. They, however, continued to make losses because of an unsustainable level of aggregate technical and commercial losses.

The government then realized that the distribution system holds the key to the power sector's long-term sustainability. The distribution sector was privatized initially in Delhi and Orissa states, and the government got mixed results. It was extended to another two states -- Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh -- to further the experiment. Now, the government wants to usher the idea throughout the country. No global power major has, however, shown interest in participating in India's power transmission and distribution sector.

The presence of private players in the country's power sector remains limited to 12 percent and covers distribution only in a few cities. The government launched an accelerated power development and reforms program to further encourage reforms in the distribution sector. This program showed success, and the aggregate transmission and commercial losses were brought down to 15 percent from an estimated level of 42 percent in 2002 (another NDA achievment).

"It might be argued that in the electricity sector, competition should be encouraged rather than taking it as a default principle," said D. S. Rawat, an energy expert at the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industries, a key Indian trade body. "The lumpy investments needed to create capacity, the relatively large incremental step when new capacity is added, the gestation lag in creating additional capacity and environmental and logistical issues create hurdles to perfect competition in the power sector with available technology choice." He said these measures should not be taken as a vote against the entry of the private sector into power, adding competition is possible in each element of electricity.
vsudhir
BRF Oldie
Posts: 2173
Joined: 19 Jan 2006 03:44
Location: Dark side of the moon

Post by vsudhir »

An Indian town's 21st-century ambitions exceed its power supply (IHT)
In the villages and small hamlets where most Indians live, power blackouts are as common as bullock carts. India does not have enough electricity for all of its 1.1 billion people, and so daily outages as long as 18 hours are imposed on smaller settlements so that megacities like Mumbai can enjoy a 24-hour supply. It is an arrangement that is suffered mostly in silence.

But last February, in this small, dusty town of 50,000 in central India, where goats and children scamper through the byways, the blackouts triggered a violent revolt. Thousands marched on the local government offices, some pelting stones, others setting police jeeps ablaze. When the police fired their guns to scatter the mob, at least two people were struck and killed.

That one town exploded over what others quietly endure is perhaps an anomaly. But a recent visit to Umred suggested that the uprising might also reflect new anxieties stewing in a nation where ambitions are trickling down much faster than the means to achieve them.

Umred belongs to a growing number of small, rapidly urbanizing towns in India - not yet a city but no longer a village - whose people have yet to taste the fruits of economic growth but have nonetheless acquired the aspirations and expectations that are growth's byproducts.
Well, well talking about globalized aspirations, howz this one,eh?
Last year, the town held its first-ever Mister and Miss Umred contests. Sixty-eight people competed, and while Umred's resources were limited, it strove to follow global practices.

"We gave them a crown," said Misal, the English teacher, who helped organize the show. "It was plastic, but it was good."
Been hearing about the changing face of non-metro India. Been a while since me last visited one such place. As Des climbs into the middle income country category, as wealth rises, something had to give in the status quo....
Farmers' children began leaving the farm for big-city jobs. Young women whose mothers barely left the home began venturing to Nagpur, a small city an hour's drive away, and even Mumbai, an overnight train journey away, to study subjects like fashion design.

English-language training became a growth industry as the young sought to leave town. Five years ago there was one English-language school in Umred; there are now 10. Misal's private academy offers a spoken-English course whose price reflects how far down the economic strata ambition has seeped: For 90 hours of classes over 45 days, he charges just $24.

"If they speak English, they feel that they can influence people, they can talk with high-class girls," Misal said over tea at a roadside stall. "They are doing what their parents couldn't do. The laborer's son is going for hotel management."
But of course, the dark side shows through as well
Entering the hottest season, however, the crisis is so acute in Maharashtra that even Mumbai may face blackouts. They would be the first in decades, and Mumbai's Scotch-sipping elite is furious at the prospect of no air conditioning for 90 minutes a day.

In Umred, a 90-minute disruption would be a luxury. Its blackouts are typically eight to 12 hours a day.

"Why?" barked Abhay Lanjewar, the proprietor of a sporting-goods store in Umred. "They're humans in Bombay, but we're only animals here?"
But all in all, a good read. Captures small town India nicely- source of seriously high potential and the forgotten cousin to the bustling metros.....

Ensoi.
Laks
BRFite
Posts: 192
Joined: 11 Jan 2005 20:47

Post by Laks »

http://www.hindu.com/2007/05/09/stories ... 530400.htm
Thermal project may be shifted from Tadadi
BANGALORE: The State Government is examining whether it is possible to shift the proposed 4,000 MW mega-power project from the coastal area of Tadadi in Uttara Kannada district to a convenient inland area following serious opposition to the project by people of the district.

"We are looking for alternative sites inland to know if there is a possibility of shifting the project," Principal Secretary to the Energy Department Dilip Rau told reporters in Bangalore on Tuesday after attending a meeting of managing directors of energy supplying companies.
The proposed thermal project in Tadadi is facing severe opposition from environmentalists, local residents, elected representatives and heads of maths in the region. They have expressed concern that the project will harm the rich biodiversity of the region.

Following this, the State Government formed a high-level committee comprising local legislators, environmental activists and experts to look into the apprehensions expressed by residents about the impact of the project. Mr. Rau heads the committee.
bala
BRF Oldie
Posts: 2001
Joined: 02 Sep 1999 11:31
Location: Office Lounge

Post by bala »

Tata Power, Doosan ink $1 bn deal

Tata Power Company (TPC) has signed a contract worth nearly $ 1 billion (Rs 4,100 crore) with a Korean company, Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction for the first 4,000 MW Ultra Mega Power Project (UMPP) at Mundra in Gujarat. The company will bring in the first 800 MW unit to India, the statement said adding, “The contract for the complete boiler island includes super critical boilers for five units of 800 MW each based on super critical technology required for such large-sized units.â€
ManuJ
BR Mainsite Crew
Posts: 441
Joined: 20 Jan 2004 12:31
Location: USA

Post by ManuJ »

With Mayawati-raj in UP, is Anil Ambani's mega-project in Dadri still on? Or will it get scrapped? Or awarded to someone else?
Singha
BRF Oldie
Posts: 66601
Joined: 13 Aug 2004 19:42
Location: the grasshopper lies heavy

Post by Singha »

it was already in doldrums over land issues.
krishnan
BRF Oldie
Posts: 7342
Joined: 07 Oct 2005 12:58
Location: 13° 04' N , 80° 17' E

Post by krishnan »

Asking farmers to pay electricity bills on time, Singh said as power generation involves money it cannot be supplied free. "If you pay bills on time, it would be possible to supply power at right time and right voltage", he added.
http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14453754

:roll:
Katare
BRF Oldie
Posts: 2579
Joined: 02 Mar 2002 12:31

Post by Katare »

Outlook India
Zero Watt In My Bulb
The power crisis in India is going from bad to worse


Lola Nayar


| e-mail | one page format | feedback: send - read |


Power Hungry The Outages Will Get Worse
Indian firms lose 9% output due to power shortage. In China and Malaysia this figure is 2%. Also, power costs 74% more in India than Malaysia and 39% more than in China.

There's a 20-25% power shortage in Maharashtra, 20% in Uttar Pradesh and 10-15% in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi

Power generated by captive plants (of over 1 MW) is 20,000 MW. Though this is costlier, industry prefers it as it is at least steady.

Many power-surplus states are getting into lucrative power trading business. Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal will benefit.
***

It was just about true for the summer of 1969, when the country faced minor power shortages. But as India edges closer to the end of the first decade of this century, the summers are becoming worse every year. This season the power situation may turn out to be unmanageable with predictions of increasing power cuts. So, if you are a retail consumer, get ready for hot, sweaty and difficult nights. And if you own a factory, be prepared for more expensive power, or lower production.

The industry is looking at ways to get around the problem; captive power is emerging as a solution. "We are looking at several alternatives to improve the power supply," says V. Raghuraman, energy expert with cii. Some states who have access to cheaper energy sources like coal and hydro have drawn up strategies to become power traders, that is, suppliers to deficit states. The Union power ministry has set a most ambitious target of adding 40,000 MW out of a total of 79,000 MW power generation capacity over the next Plan period. The states are expected to add 28,000 MW and the private sector 11,000 MW.

At the current annual generation capacity of 1,30,000 MW, India faces shortages of nearly 9 per cent; the peak load deficit is higher at 10-11 per cent. In some of the developed states, the situation is grim; according to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), there is a 20-25 per cent peak shortfall in Maharashtra, 20 per cent in Uttar Pradesh, and 10-15 per cent in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi. Maharashtra is the worst-hit, with load-shedding of 7-9 hours a day in small towns and 4-6 hours in cities. In the Vidarbha region, which is reeling under temperatures of 45 degree celsius, consumers took to the streets after load-shedding of over 12 hours a day.

If the trend continues, India's growth may falter. A 2004 World Bank study revealed that Indian manufacturers face 17 significant power outages each month, compared to one in Malaysia and under five in China. While Indian firms lose 9 per cent of output due to breakdowns, the figure in Malaysia and China is just over 2 per cent. Worse, India's power costs are 74 per cent higher than Malaysia, and 39 per cent more than China. "If you can make the power sector more efficient, it will help manufacturing to push down costs," feels Sunil Sinha, senior economist, Crisil. According to Kirit S. Parikh, member, Planning Commission, the Indian plants could "definitely" have been more profitable if they were not faced with erratic power supplies. He adds that "people are finding out ways to tackle lack of quality power".

One of these solutions is captive power. Currently, over 60 per cent of Indian firms own generators compared to less than 30 per cent in China. And the trend is gathering steam in India. CEA admits that the growth in captive power—at 6-7 per cent—has been higher than the 4-5 per cent increase in utility-based generation. In absolute terms, power generated by captive units (of over 1 MW capacity) is 20,000 MW a year with almost 100 per cent utilisation.
"We estimate that another 10,000 MW of captive generation capacity will be added in the 11th Plan as industry wants reliable supply," says Rakesh Nath, chairman, CEA.

Recent policy changes have nudged the manufacturers in the captive direction. The government has now allowed captive units to sell surplus power to the national grid, from where it can be redistributed to deficit states. Therefore, private companies are thinking of building bigger plants. "From looking at plants to bridge our internal power shortages, we are looking at larger ones that can also sell surplus power," says a spokesperson of the Essar group.



Currently, over 60% of Indian firms own generators. But this power is costly as the fuel used is naphtha or diesel.


The group, which owns and runs power plants, currently sells 300 MW from its 515 MW captive unit at Hazira and also from its 105 MW unit near Jamnagar, both in Gujarat. It has now decided to set up four coal pit-based power units in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Jharkhand.

The


governments of deficit states hope to strike purchase agreements with some of the larger captive units. Their only problem is that the cost of such power is higher, since many of them use expensive fuels like naphtha and diesel. But costly power is better than no power. "Although the captive solution may seem less profitable, it is less expensive than turning down orders," explains Parikh.

If the deficit states are pressured by consumers, they will be forced to buy more expensive power to blunt criticism. Anyway, they are paying more for power purchased from the state utilities. "There has been an at least a 10 per cent increase in price of traded power in the short-term market," says T.N. Thakur, MD, Power Trading Corporation, which holds over 50 per cent share in the traded power market. From the levels of Rs 5.50-Rs 5.80 per unit last year, electricity is being sold by surplus states like Himachal Pradesh and West Bengal at Rs 6-7 per unit.

Obviously, as Leena Srivastava, executive director, TERI, says, captive power cannot be a long-term solution. So, the Centre plans to add an additional 79,000 MW capacity over the next five years. Of this, 47,000 MW is under execution, reveals Anil Razdan, secretary (power). In the next 12 months, 14,000 MW capacity is expected to come on stream. Efforts are on to persuade states to place machinery orders early for the projects so that they are completed by 2012.

Trading is another area which could help correct the situation and states are getting wiser to the benefits of power trading. Explains Nath, "States are keeping a watch on hour-to-hour surpluses as many of them like Delhi sell power in some months (like March) and buy during peak summer ones." In the next five years, the volume of traded power is expected to double from the existing 10-20 billion units.

A few states have realised that trading can be a sustained revenue source. Over a seventh of the power addition during the 11th Plan will be in West Bengal (4,000 MW), Chhattisgarh (2,700 MW), Arunachal Pradesh (2,600 MW) and Himachal Pradesh (1,850 MW), which wish to emerge as power traders. They will then help increase supplies during peak hours and peak seasons. They are being helped by the private sector. Reliance Energy says it's looking at innovative strategies including co-generation (power through sugarcane waste) "to bring electricity to consumers at an affordable price".

If you are lucky, these measures will yield results and cater to the increased demand—your summers may be relaxed. More importantly, the country can gear itself for double-digit growth rates.
Gerard
Forum Moderator
Posts: 8012
Joined: 15 Nov 1999 12:31

Post by Gerard »

bala
BRF Oldie
Posts: 2001
Joined: 02 Sep 1999 11:31
Location: Office Lounge

Post by bala »

Large players tapping into wind power


The wind power sector in the country is in the process of going through a major transformation. One, which the industry believes, will put it in a higher growth trajectory. A number of large companies are putting up wind farms in the country with Maharashtra emerging the preferred location mainly because of its attractive renewable energy policy. These companies are adopting the independent power producer (IPP) model for the wind farms they propose to put up - that is, they will enter into long-term agreements with the State utilities and sell the power generated by the turbines to them. Now the investors are talking of wind farms of 50 MW and above.

Wind farm developers can expect a return on equity of 12-13 per cent and, given the tariff structures prevalent now, hope to completely recover project costs in about 12 years. Income from trading in carbon credits would add about 7-8 per cent to the revenues.

At the end of March, the total installed wind power capacity in the country went up to 7,086 MW, with 1,742 MW being added during 2006-07. Tamil Nadu once again topped in capacity addition with 578 MW, followed by Maharashtra with 485 MW, Gujarat 284 MW, Karnataka 266 MW and Rajasthan 112 MW.


Wind power Rankings

Rank Nation 2005 (MW) 2006 (MW) Latest(MW)
1 Germany 18,415 20,622
2 Spain 10,028 11,615
3 United States 9,149 11,603 11,699
4 India 4,430 6,270 7,086
A Sharma
BRFite
Posts: 1206
Joined: 20 May 2003 11:31

Post by A Sharma »

Switch to saving
The Bureau of Energy Efficiency is ready with plans to help regulate energy use so that India sustains its high growth rate.
Suraj
Forum Moderator
Posts: 15043
Joined: 20 Jan 2002 12:31

Post by Suraj »

Andy Mukherjee's latest India article is devoted to the power situation. Excerpts:
Indian Summer Will Bite as Blackouts Worsen
In most Indian cities, being middle- class means owning your own power company.

As summer temperatures approach 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), energy demand from electric fans and air- conditioners is putting stretched utilities under stress.

Against a peak demand of 104,000 megawatts last month, supply was 90,000 megawatts. That's a shortfall of 14 percent.

Rationing of power, which goes on throughout the year, becomes unbearable during the summer months. People resign themselves to blackouts that sometimes last all day, even longer if overburdened cables burn or aging transformers collapse.

An all-India survey of small enterprises in 2002 cited power shortages as one of the top reasons for industrial sickness, far ahead of labor strife or mismanagement.

Why has India allowed itself to get into this mess?

At the end of last year, China had 622,000 megawatts of generation capacity. A fifth of this -- almost equal to India's total capacity built up over decades -- was added in 2006 alone.

Why does India not invest more in energy, which is emerging as a major bottleneck for sustaining the current pace of 9 percent economic growth?

The seed of India's power crisis was sown in 1977. That's when politicians first came up with the idea of subsidized electricity for farmers to win their votes. Then free power for agriculture became the norm, pushing state-run electricity boards into financial ruin.

Not that free power did much for the really poor.

A small farmer in a backward area of Punjab, the second- biggest grain-producing state in India, typically won't have any power connection on his land; he will have to burn diesel. It is a costly proposition.

Had the farmer used electricity instead of diesel to irrigate a rice crop, which is sown around this time of the year, he could have enjoyed one harvest of wheat absolutely free even after paying a reasonable user charge to the utility, according to a study by Varinder Jain, a researcher at India's Centre for Development Studies.

The link between electrical and political power goes beyond farmers. In cities such as Mumbai and New Delhi, where private operators -- Reliance Energy Ltd. and Tata Power Co. -- are in charge of distribution, squatters steal power from the grid with impunity because politicians need their votes.



Every third Reliance Energy customer in Mumbai lives in a shantytown, where, according to the company's own regulatory submission, pilferage ranges from 15 percent to 70 percent.

No one denies that the poor must get electricity, and perhaps for free. But this isn't the way to provide it. Every year, there are reports of electrical short-circuits in illegal wiring causing fires in unauthorized slums. It won't be any different this year.

India has to adopt a multipronged strategy to end its power drought.

The country has to make better use of the 10,000 megawatts of idle generation capacity. Half of it is lying unutilized largely because of feedstock unavailability.

Natural-gas prices have tripled in the past five years. At $7.80 per million British thermal units, they are double what Indian gas-fired power plants can afford, given limits on how much consumers can be charged for electricity.

Pending a meaningful reduction in subsidies, more expensive power must still be produced, but its cost must be passed on to those who can bear it.

Reliance Energy has imposed a ``reliability charge'' on all users in Mumbai consuming more than 300 units, or kilowatt-hours, of electricity in a month. This levy is meant to compensate the distributor for the higher cost of procuring energy, and to minimize disruptions in an extremely tight supply situation.

These measures, however, won't be sufficient to take care of future demand. For that, the solution is quite simple: India has to produce more electricity at affordable rates. And it has to do it rapidly.

State-controlled Power Finance Corp. is creating shell companies. The government is offering them coal supplies for 4,000-megawatt plants.

The idea is that once they have obtained regulatory approval, tied up debt financing and lined up customers, these shell companies will be auctioned off. Many of the execution risks -- the delays that plague large power projects in India -- will be eliminated.

The power situation in India will improve. Apart from everything else, there's the big promise of civilian nuclear energy under an agreement that India is negotiating with the U.S.

None of this, however, is for the short term. For at least another five years, the middle class will be its own electricity producer of last resort.
Tanaji
BRF Oldie
Posts: 4522
Joined: 21 Jun 2000 11:31

Post by Tanaji »

The power shortage of 7000+ MW in Maharashtra is nothing short of criminal. From the SS-BP bungling of Enron, to the criminal neglect shown by Vilasrao Deshmukh, things have gone from bad to absolutley abominable. In fact, the apathy shown by Vilasrao and the absolutely bungling of everything administrative in Maharashtra by him, he should be tried for treason and shot.

What we need are huge 10 GW projects on a war footing, preferably nuclear. NGO type organisations must absolutely be salivating at the prospect...
ShibaPJ
BRFite
Posts: 146
Joined: 20 Oct 2005 21:21

Post by ShibaPJ »

Against a peak demand of 104,000 megawatts last month, supply was 90,000 megawatts. That's a shortfall of 14 percent.
Interesting tidbit, do we know if this is after T&D losses? India's T&D losses are still in the range of 30-35%, one of the highest in the world.
gashish
BRFite
Posts: 272
Joined: 23 May 2004 11:31
Location: BRF's tailgate party, aka, Nukkad thread

Post by gashish »

Tanaji wrote:The power shortage of 7000+ MW in Maharashtra is nothing short of criminal. From the SS-BP bungling of Enron, to the criminal neglect shown by Vilasrao Deshmukh, things have gone from bad to absolutley abominable. In fact, the apathy shown by Vilasrao and the absolutely bungling of everything administrative in Maharashtra by him, he should be tried for treason and shot.

What we need are huge 10 GW projects on a war footing, preferably nuclear. NGO type organisations must absolutely be salivating at the prospect...
its not apathy..its severe myopia...vilasrao is simply not a CM material...he is at best a local leader
do not expect MH power problems to go away during his tenure when his own constituency is living in darkness for more than 8 hrs a day....

i was amazed to see how ppl in my district have resigned to the "dark" fate of load shedding..err...bhar niyaman....and then adopted quickly too...almost every shop/business and prolly more than 50% households in latur district have installed "Inverters"...i hear same is true for most of Maharashtra..anybody who has invested in the companies that make these inverters and batteries must have raked in crores..who knows may be CM owns some of them( he does own sugar factory which literally shut down the co-operative sugar factory in the area)

but Inverter does not generate energy...it just stores energy...and also doesn't solve farmers' problems since it cannot power tubewells/motors... its not uncommon to see farmers working during late nights...in some cases they simply do not plant crops in some portions of the farm as they donot get enough power to water the whole farm!

it will not be an exaggeration to say that MH has been running at its 50%potential for past few years....its anybody guess how much percentage of SDP growth that shaves off
Raju

Post by Raju »

What we really need in massive quantity is solar energy. This can make use of the inverters & batteries folks have bought.
Tanaji wrote:What we need are huge 10 GW projects on a war footing, preferably nuclear. NGO type organisations must absolutely be salivating at the prospect...
I had said this 4 years ago, we need Ultra Giga Mega Power Plants minimum 10,000 MW each. But GoI responded with SDRE Ultra Mega Power Plants of 4000 MW each, again an anaemic response to a gigantic problem. GoI forgot the Giga.

The real difference between India & China lies in 622000 MW - 90000 MW (=532000 MW) and little else.
Katare
BRF Oldie
Posts: 2579
Joined: 02 Mar 2002 12:31

Post by Katare »

Deshmukh is CM for just couple of years, a power plant takes 4-5 years to build, so can't really leave it on his door steps. Investing in new powerplant doesn't really fit in to the 5 year election cycle. So all a CM wants is more allocation of central power at any cost instead of generating their own power.

The day we have a system that can distributed power to consumers profitably we'll have solution to the problem.
gashish
BRFite
Posts: 272
Joined: 23 May 2004 11:31
Location: BRF's tailgate party, aka, Nukkad thread

Post by gashish »

agreed..deshmukh cant be totally blamed for the mess MH is in...but he doesnt appear to do anything either..

i remember those days when MH had surplus power..never had load shedding even in rural MH...situation started deteriorating over the last decade...power generating capacity just never kept with the growing population and economy
state planners slept at the wheel ,if there was anybody at the wheel at all..
The day we have a system that can distributed power to consumers profitably we'll have solution to the problem
free or subsidised power given to farmers/agriculture was always thought to be the root of the problem..but it is NOT

the real cuplrits are commercial and industrial users accessing HT(high tension) and EHT lines who easily account for the large portion of 33% T&D losses MSEB routinely reports...metering and policing them should be politically easy.

and believe it or not...farmers seem willing to pay for electricity if they are guaranteed power for atleast some hours during the day..
Suraj
Forum Moderator
Posts: 15043
Joined: 20 Jan 2002 12:31

Post by Suraj »

AndyM's numbers are slightly dated. India's current power generation capacity is ~135000MW, not 90000MW. The percentage shortfall still largely applies, because heavy industrial development that is occuring (industrial growth in the full year 2006-07 was 11.4%, manufacturing grew 12.5%) is energy intensive.

Typically power demand is expected to grow 2x real GDP growth in this phase, if not higher. The current ~10K MW addition per annum (electricity generation grew ~8% last year) will not suffice. The rate needs to increase by 3-4x the current rate of growth.

There are no magic bullets, like nuclear power. It requires investment in several forms of electricity generation, ranging from small capacity fast uptime to higher capacity slow uptime projects. GoI doesn't necessarily need to fund such addition with public money. It needs to make electricity generation profitable through clear regulatory policy. The hurdle is not lack of money, but politics.
Raju

Post by Raju »

Against a peak demand of 104,000 megawatts last month, supply was 90,000 megawatts. That's a shortfall of 14 percent.
I often get a nasty feeling that a lot of our industries will get unviable if they start paying the true value of power. Stolen power plays a 'not-so-insignificant' part of their profitability.
Suraj
Forum Moderator
Posts: 15043
Joined: 20 Jan 2002 12:31

Post by Suraj »

Raju wrote:I often get a nasty feeling that a lot of our industries will get unviable if they start paying the true value of power. Stolen power plays a 'not-so-insignificant' part of their profitability.
That is only true to an extent. It is not just power that is needed, but reliable power. That covers more than just blackouts; supply must be uniform, without fluctuations in the form of spikes and brownouts. Public utility provided power is not known for providing these. Most industries have to have backup of some form, which adds to their cost. OVerall, industrial growth suffers from inadequate power supply more than it profits from pilferage.
Raju

Post by Raju »

Industrial growth is applicable only to the successful ones in general sense. A lot of the run-of-the-mill types earn rozi-roti in large part, by power theft, I know of many factory owners in dilli who absolutely and resolutely refuse to pay their power bills. Many of them even closed shop and ran away to other cities.

The price for this behaviour is paid by the successful industries that genuinely need to grow and need quality 'uninterrupted' power. High-tension consumers have to share part of the blame for our present predicament.
saty
BRFite
Posts: 126
Joined: 20 Jan 2005 17:07
Location: Delhi, India

Post by saty »

So basically their business is stealing my tax money through power route? Why should we be sad if these parasites die? It will not even reflect in India's GDP since these are the same parasites who never pay their taxes and report their earnings either.

A lot of ******** in India need to die for India to live again.
Rishirishi
BRFite
Posts: 1409
Joined: 12 Mar 2005 02:30

Post by Rishirishi »

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So basically their business is stealing my tax money through power route? Why should we be sad if these parasites die? It will not even reflect in India's GDP since these are the same parasites who never pay their taxes and report their earnings either.

A lot of ******** in India need to die for India to live again.
I think you are aiming the gun at the wrong people. Businesses have to compete and are dependant on equal cost of production. If one factory gets away with stealing power, then the others will have to follow, or shut down.
In actual effect it is the corrupt officials, whom pocket the theft. In many cases the inspector position is "sold" and the money flows all the way to the top.

There is an urgently need to reform the anti corruption police, where they are made independant of politicians.
Theo_Fidel

Post by Theo_Fidel »

Suraj wrote:AndyM's numbers are slightly dated. India's current power generation capacity is ~135000MW, not 90000MW. The percentage shortfall still largely applies, because heavy industrial development that is occuring (industrial growth in the full year 2006-07 was 11.4%, manufacturing grew 12.5%) is energy intensive.
The 135000MW is installed capacity. Our PLF rarely exceeds 75% (believe it or not this is a massive improvement over the 90's when plf's of 55% were common) so ergo 90000.

Also note that HYDEL rarely exceeds plf of 60%.
Suraj
Forum Moderator
Posts: 15043
Joined: 20 Jan 2002 12:31

Post by Suraj »

Theo: thanks for the clarification on PLFs.

Here's some good news:
Record power addition this fiscal
[quote]As much as 17,000 Mw is slated for commissioning during the year – two and a half times more than the largest addition of 6,850 Mw achieved last year.

This represents as much as 13 per cent of the current capacity of 132,000 Mw in the country.

“Projects under construction, for which orders have been placed, total 49,175 Mw,â€
Katare
BRF Oldie
Posts: 2579
Joined: 02 Mar 2002 12:31

Post by Katare »

Just adding one more figure for context, China will commission 98,000MW this year alone!!! :eek:
Post Reply