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New Delhi: State-run NTPC Ltd, India's largest integrated power producer, has been providing required power to the capital city of Delhi but power distribution companies (discoms) in the state have so far scheduled only 70 percent of the power being made available to them by NTPC, the Maharatna power generating company claimed on Tuesday. "As per October 1 to October 11 data, Delhi discoms have been scheduling only 70 percent of the power that has been made available by NTPC. The same is indicated by the graph that lays down the power scheduled by NTPC plants for Delhi versus what has been drawn by the city's discoms," said NTPC.
The statement assumes significance as it comes a day after Delhi Power Minister Satyendra Jain claimed that Delhi had been forced to procure costly gas-based power and undertake spot purchase at high market rate as NTPC had halved electricity supply to the city.
"It is also pertinent to mention that Delhi discoms have allocation of 756 MW from Dadri-I (840 MW) thermal power station of NTPC. Dadri-1 thermal power station was setup for strategically important state of Delhi and has consistently served the consumers of Delhi. However, since November-2020, Delhi discoms have not been scheduling power from this station even when the fixed charge of Dadri-I station is 0.97 Rs/kWh at normative present Energy Charge Rate (ECR) is 3.20 Rs/kWh. Ironically, Uttar Pradesh, which has allocation of only 10 percent from Dadri I units, is scheduling power from Dadri-I station meet the power requirement of the state consumers," said NTPC.
"NTPC is making all efforts for ensuring availability of coal at all of its power stations for meeting the power requirement of the country. In the first half of financial year 2021-22, NTPC's generation growth has been over 21% compared to same period last year," the statement added.
Meanwhile, in a separate statement released on Tuesday, the Ministry of Power said that it had issued instructions on October 10 to NTPC and Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) to secure power supply to Delhi. "This will ensure that distribution companies of Delhi will get as much as power as requisitioned by them as per their demand," said the ministry.
The ministry said that it has directed NTPC and DVC to offer the normative declared capacity (DC) to Delhi discoms as per the allocations made to them under their respective PPAs from their coal-based power stations. Both NTPC and DVC have committed to provide as much electricity to Delhi as demanded by the discoms of Delhi, said the statement.
"NTPC may offer the normative declared capacity (DC) to the Delhi discoms as per their allocations (from gas-based power plants) made to them under respective PPAs. The gas available from all sources including SPOT, LT-RLNG etc may be included while offering the DC to Delhi discoms," said the statement.
India is staring at a power crisis as coal stocks have depleted sharply at thermal power stations across the country on account of a sudden spurt in power demand. Because thermal power plants (TPPs) did not have sufficient coal stock to meet a sudden spurt in demand, the situation has led to low coal inventory at TPPs. According to the last batch of CEA data released, half of India's thermal power capacity had three or less than three days of coal stock as on October 7. India primarily relies on coal to meet its power demand.
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