Alert: three thermal power plant Units and three hydro plant units in Punjab go out of operation

Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ June 3,2024

With the rise in mercury, power demand, three units of government owned, private thermal plants shut down. Even three units of Ranjit Sagar Dam are also non operational.

At present in the private sector plant, one unit of 660 MW of Talwandi Sabo Power Limited (TSPL) the largest private thermal plant of Punjab and two units of government owned thermal plants, one unit of 210 MW of Ropar Thermal Plant and one unit of 270 MW of Guru Angad Dev Thermal Plant, Goindwal Sahib have gone out of operation.

Even three units of 150 MW each of hydro power units of Ranjit Sagar Dam are also not in operational mode

In the peak time, when the power demand is surging due to heat wave, state owned and private thermal plants and government owned hydro power plants have stopped generating 1590 MW of power due to one or the other reasons.

As per TSPL officials, “their one unit of 660 MW has developed some boiler related issue and it will positively be operational by today evening or by tomorrow morning. Our engineers are working overnight to fix the issue.”

The non operational of units of thermal plant and shortage of 1590 MW is a matter of concern before the beginning of peak paddy season.

In the current scenario, the maximum power demand is expected to cross 16,300 MW against last year’s 15,300 MW. But, the power demand had crossed all limits on May 20, 2024, breaking many years record as the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL). On May 20, the poerwcom had logged a peak demand of 14,127 megawatt (MW) at 15:16:02 (3:16 pm)   .

An official on the condition of anonymity said “though the state can manage upto 16000 MW but with the paddy season is approaching a 4000 MW additional power will be needed. With the present demand crossing 14000 MW in May and 4000 MW will be required in June for upcoming paddy season; the state is going towards a power shortage scenario with having system of 16000 MW only.

Alert: three thermal power plant Units and three hydro plant units in Punjab go out of operation. Meanwhile powercom officials can’t be contacted for comments on the non operational of government owned thermal, hydro power plants, due to late night uploading of the news.

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