A sudden 40 per cent rise in electricity demand, against the usual 10-20 per cent buffer, has put power supply under pressure in Madhya Pradesh, particularly in rural areas, despite more than 25,000 MW of contracted generation capacity. Energy department sources said the situation was expected to improve after additional power was arranged and two thermal units returned to operation.
“There is adequate availability of energy in the state. Last year on October 11, peak demand was 11,000MW; this year it increased to 16,000MW on the same date. In some areas, demand spiked while in others it dipped. There could be management-related issues. I have instructed officials to ensure no one faces inconvenience and complaints are addressed on priority,” energy minister Pradyumn Singh Tomar told TOI.
Around 5,000-6,000 MW of the state’s contracted capacity comes from solar power, available mainly between 9 am and 4 pm. Two thermal units shut down due to technical problems on Monday. On Tuesday, the department arranged 8,000-9,000 MW from the Sardar Sarovar project, while the two units were synchronised, raising hopes of improved supply.
The impact was reflected in the Union power ministry’s National Feeder Monitoring System dashboard. On Oct 7, rural areas of MP received an average of 21.49 hours of electricity daily, around two-and-a-half hours short of the stipulated 24-hour supply. The issue was also raised by several representatives at Monday’s cabinet meeting, sources said.
At a review meeting at the secretariat on Monday, Tomar directed officials to ensure adequate electricity for farmers during the upcoming rabi season. He asked the power generation company to run all plants at full capacity and maintain uninterrupted coal supplies. Officials said coal stocks at state power plants were adequate. The minister also directed officials to forecast demand in advance, prepare a planned supply strategy and maintain regular communication with public representatives on electricity availability and local issues.
Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals.
Subscribe to Newsletter to get latest insights & analysis in your inbox.
All about ETEnergyworld industry right on your smartphone!
- Download the ETEnergyworld App and get the Realtime updates and Save your favourite articles.
