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Karnataka Minister KJ George announced on Friday that the Energy Department is well-prepared to meet the state's power needs, ensuring a supply of 19,000 MW during the summer months without any load shedding. According to news agency PTI, KJ George stated that Karnataka has seen a sharp increase in power consumption over the past two months, pushing demand to an unprecedented 19,000 MW. "However, there will be no load shedding as the state is fully equipped to handle the rising demand in the coming summer months.
The surge in power consumption is also a positive indicator of broader economic recovery in the state," said George after a review meeting with senior officials of the Energy Department. (Also Read: Bengaluru woman rides through traffic with parrot on her shoulder, internet says ‘never a dull moment here’ ) In a statement, the State Energy Minister affirmed that the state has sufficient electricity to meet the demand. Apart from occasional power supply interruptions due to local technical issues, load shedding will not be necessary.
According to him, farmers' agricultural pump sets will receive seven hours of electricity, while industrial and household consumers will have an uninterrupted 24-hour supply. Compared to last year, electricity demand has significantly increased. On February 27, 2023, the demand stood at 16,214 MW, whereas on the same day this year, it surged to 17,874 MW.
"This demand has been adequately met. Similarly, steps have been taken to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply until the first week of June," said Gaurav Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary of the Energy Department. According to the statement, 3,300 MW of electricity was generated from Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) thermal power stations, 2,000 MW from hydroelectric units, 126 MW from UPCL (Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited), 6,655 MW from solar, and 1,940 MW from wind.
Additionally, 6,183 MW of electricity was sourced from Central Generating Stations (CGS), and 600 MW was purchased from the central grid. Electricity was also obtained from Punjab and Uttar Pradesh on an exchange basis, totalling 700 MW. "To further meet electricity demand, an additional 310 MW will be sourced starting March 1.
Depending on demand, 100 to 1,275 MW will be obtained daily through exchange agreements, and 300 MW will be procured from Punjab. Additionally, 1,000 MW of electricity will be purchased daily until the first week of June," the statement read. "While the state is generating more electricity than the current demand, there is no storage facility.
To address this, it has been decided to implement storage projects, including a 2,000 MW capacity at Sharavathi Pumped Storage, 1,600 MW at Varahi Pumped Storage, 1,000 MW at Pavagada, and a 2,000 MW battery storage project at Ryapte. These initiatives will ensure the state does not face any electricity shortages," the Energy Minister said. Further, he noted that in certain substations, electricity demand has spiked, leading to overloading, while in other areas, excess electricity remains underutilised, causing underload.
To address this, priority is being given to the link line system, he added. "This system transfers electricity from underloaded substations to those experiencing overload, thereby balancing power distribution. The establishment of link lines has already been completed in some areas," George said.
According to him, although the state has sufficient electricity, the challenge lies in its transmission and distribution. To resolve this, the number of substations is being increased, with a plan to establish 100 new substations in the current financial year. Efforts are underway to address most transmission and distribution issues within the next two years.
George emphasised that under no circumstances should IP sets be used with converters for single-phase electricity supply. To ensure 24-hour electricity for domestic use, the state government has launched the ‘Niranthara Jyothi’ scheme. Under this scheme, single-phase electricity is provided at night to benefit those in farmhouses, he explained.
(With inputs from PTI agency).
