Shimla, Aug 4,
The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has introduced a new procedure to improve the scheduling and accounting of free power from generating stations’ bus bars, which is poised to significantly benefit Himachal Pradesh.
Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced that this initiative is expected to generate an annual revenue of Rs. 200 crore for the state, with the procedure scheduled for implementation by August 9, 2024.
Designed specifically for hydro-rich states like Himachal Pradesh, the revised procedure addresses their unique challenge of being unable to directly consume all the power they generate.
It allows the state to sell its entitled share of free power directly from the generating station’s bus bar, ensuring precise scheduling and accounting.
This change is anticipated to result in substantial savings on transmission charges and losses and help avoid blackouts during high silt periods at Nathpa Jhakri and Rampur Stations.
The introduction of the Late Payment Surcharge (LPS) rule by the Government of India highlights the necessity of this procedure.
Additionally, the CERC (General Network Access) Regulation has allocated Himachal Pradesh a GNA of 1130 MW. Beyond this limit, the state cannot schedule power from Inter-State Generating Stations (ISGS), leading to power curtailment.
The Himachal Pradesh Energy Management Centre, which oversees the power of HPSEBL, HPPCL, and DOE, reported a revenue of Rs. 300 crore from power sales during April-July 2024, compared to the same period in 2023.
This new procedure is expected to further boost revenue and ensure a consistent power supply throughout the state, particularly during challenging periods such as the rainy season when silt issues can lead to shutdowns.
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