K K Gandotra
Nature has been very kind to our State and has bestowed us vast potential of Hydro Power to the tune of 20,000MW out of which only 16,000 MW have been identified.
Our existing 22 Hydro Electric Power Stations have an installed capacity of 761.96 MW. Generating 2,562.723 million Units whereas our total power demand is of 17,323 million units. Bagliar I & II consisting of 450 MW each has been added totaling to 1661.96 MW. Some of these are not able to generate as per installed capacity. The reasons put forward are many but the one predominate one is non-availability of spares especially fast moving ones. There are repeated failures and no timely corrective action is taken to analyse the cause of failures. It is utmost necessary to audit the cause of these failures and take necessary timely corrective action to prevent these breakdowns. This requires systematic proper maintenance of daily records and schedules of maintenance.
To prevent sudden breakdowns, it is utmost necessary to introduce systematic maintenance of all equipments Civil, Electrical and Mechanical. If any breakdown takes place opportunity should be taken to check other vulnerable critical check points to avoid future breakdowns.
No action is taken by the government to restore the plants which are under shut down for want of spares and other problems. These HEP’s are a) Sewa-III – 9.0 M.W. Since April 2014 –Ravi Basin b) Haftal -1.0 M.W. –Since January 2015 –Indus Basin c) Stakana-4.0 M.W. –Since April 2014 – Indus Basin d) Mohra -9.0 M.W.- Not operating since Floods of September 1992 – Jehulum Basin
e) Chenani – III -7.50 M.W. – Since April 2014 f) Sanjak – 1.26 M.W. Since January 2015 – Indus Basin
Due to urbanization per capita energy consumption of the State has increased from 849.98 Kwh to 882.82 which is 5to 6% increase in power consumption as a result the power purchase bill is mounting year after year. From Rs 3500 crore to Rs 5000 crore and now Rs 7000 crore.
The remedial action is required to be taken in saving wasteful consumption of electricity though the present government had promised that 100% metering in the State of J & K will be done by March 2016 in their last year budget speech. Little has been done to achieve this objective.
The HEP I & II of Bagliar units are not working optimally either one is down with excessive vibrations or with some problem or the other. The problems are to be looked into scientifically and investigated so that necessary remedial actions are taken well in time. This in turn will reduce our purchase bill of power.
The planned HEP stations in Chenab Basin require to be commissioned within the stipulated time frame. The experience of faulty tendering of mega HEPs of a) 1200 -M.W. Sawalkote,
b) 1000 – M.W.Pakul Dul c) Ratle -690 M.W. Should be kept in view to avoid escalation in price and the benefits accrue to our State.
Effort has to be made in reducing AT&C losses which are 57 % in Kashmir Valley and 47 % in Jammu region whereas all India average is of 17 %.
In our State the Transformer damage/ burn out rate is 45 % as against only 2.5 % in the rest of country. During the period between April to June in 2015 a total of 55 transformers got damage only in Jammu. The main reason behind such a huge transformer burn out is overloading. This indicates proper rating of transformer as per load conditions.
The street lights at present are controlled by individual Switches and depend upon the residents for switch On /Off of streetlights. The wattage of Sodium Vapor lamps and chokes are to the tune of 150-250 watts and as such it is necessary that street lights are controlled through a Timer area wise to save electricity. As is a well known fact 1.0 KW saved is 4.0 KW generated. This will also reduce our power bill.
To overcome the power woes, it is utmost necessary to ensure what is planned , should be installed, what is installed, should be generated, what is generated, should be transmitted, what is transmitted , should be distributed, what is distributed should be billed. No free power to any body and to any government agency.
The unbundling / restructuring of JKPDC approved by the previous Government has yet to be implemented. It appears as if no one in legislature /government or in the organization owns any responsibility, accountability to effect any change to improve efficiency and productivity so as to benefit the masses.
Realistic use of fund of Rs 2000 crore announced by the government to set up HEPP’s of capacity 9-15 M.W. should be judiciously used in commissioning in stipulated period to overcome the shortage of power and reduce the power bill.
Let the ‘Will Power Prevail’ in implementing the reforms as proposed in Power Sector in a time bound manner on priority so that benefits accrue to the State.
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