The current crisis is also attributed to a dip in generation due to lack of adequate coal and water, closure of thermal power plants for maintenance and lack of planning to arrange for backup power by the state distribution utility.
This Diwali, the festival of lights, could be a dark one for a majority of the 3 crore-odd of customers of the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company, as long power cuts are set to make a return across the state as demand rises to unprecedented levels on the back of steaming temperatures this summer and even after the monsoon.
The current crisis is also attributed to a dip in generation due to lack of adequate coal and water, closure of thermal power plants for maintenance and lack of planning to arrange for backup power by the state distribution utility.
"The demand for power in the state has surged to 17,500 MW against 15,000 MW due to hot weather," an official of the utility told DNA. "The demand is expected to further increase to 18,500 MW by end of October and later to 19,500 MW in November."
As a result, the discom is dropping about 2,500 MW to 3,000 MW, including cutting power during nights to agriculture consumers from 10 hours to 8 hours.
Coal supply is a key issue – the state has been getting only 17-20 rakes of coal daily against a requirement of 32 rakes of coal. Each rake carries about 4,000 tonnes of coal.
MSEB Holding Company director Vishwas Pathak said the shortage was a temporary one and that '' Efforts are on to procure imported coal, procurement of power from the central grid and through renewable energy based power projects and captive power projects to tackle the power shortages."
Pathak however, said that load shedding will be withdrawn the moment coal supply situation becomes normal.
MahaVitaran has a long-term power purchase agreement for drawing 30,255 MW but there is a shortfall of 5,585 MW from suppliers due to dip in generation following the paucity of coal.
The MahaVitaran officer said there are constraints in the purchase of electricity from the power exchanges as there is a rush to book power from various other states too.
Ashok Pendse, consumer representative at the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission painted a bleak picture, saying consumers are paying Rs 3,800 crore for the stranded capacity.
"Maharashtra has claimed that the state is power surplus while the Central government has said that coal availability is not an issue. Under such circumstances, the state has to shed load which is expected to continue even up to December. What happens to the claims being made at different levels?" he questioned."
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