Power generation in Himachal down by 85%, northern states likely to suffer

SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh, which is supplying electricity to at least nine states of northern India, including Union capital—Delhi, is struggling to meet its own power demand in the state.

As a result, the biggest impact of the low power generation will be on Northern India states like Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chandigarh, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh. The northern region is already reeling under intense cold waves and dense fog engulfing the states has raised the power demand.

Facing the worst-ever drought in the past 123 years with no rains and snowfall during this winter, the power generation at major hydel power projects including 1,500 MW capacity Natha-Jhakri power projects, is down by 80 to 85 per cent.

Not only this, the power production in the nearby 412 MW Rampur project of Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL) has also fallen. Since being located downstream of Natha-Jhakri project the water demand is met through Sutlej river only. Power generation in about a dozen small projects in Rampur sub-division has also fallen due to lack of water.

The water discharge in the major rivers like Sutlej, Ravi and Beas where hydel projects are located , having reduced below 60 per cent the generation, has been hit a shocking low. Normally, the power generation in the state during winters gets reduced by 35 to 40 per cent and the state borrows thermal power from states’ like Punjab on reciprocal basis. But, this time the dry winter has caused a huge blow to the state.

“There are a possibilities of deepening power crisis in nine states of North India due to 90 percent drop in power generation at Nathpa Jhakri, the country’s largest underground 1,500 MW hydropower project”, said a senior engineer at Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) Ltd

At the project, only one out of six turbines are functional due to low discharge in the river. The project built on the Sutlej river surpasses its power generation records in the summers when the discharge is high. The river is fed by glaciers. But the current situation is unprecedented and has risen after two decades.

Electricity production in the state has fallen from 2,500 lakh units to 450 lakh units. Out of 450 lakh units, private power companies and Government of India undertakings, are also selling many units of electricity to the Northern Grid.

At present, 200 lakh units of electricity is being taken daily from Punjab in the state as banking. Apart from this, the work is being carried out by supplying electricity from the state’s own production. Every day 25 to 30 lakh units of electricity has to be purchased from the open market. Even the state run projects 120 MW Sanjay Vidyut yojana , 60 MW Giri project, 100 MW Sainj project and a dozen other projects like Andhra Project (16.5 mw) projects are facing the crisis.

Due to lack of rain and snowfall, the water level in Sutlej has come down to 70 cumecs, which is insufficient to rotate all the six turbines of the project. If the situation continues like this, there may be a problem of power crisis in the coming days,says Manoj Kumar, Project Head, SJVN, Nathpa Jhakri.