India misses energy generation target in July

by Gargi Sahai

September 17, 2009: India's energy generation in the month of July 2009 stood at 62,933 MU, which is 3.43 percent less than the planned generation target of 65169.30 MU, according to a compilation of Central Electricity Authority (CEA).

Despite missing the target, the energy generation during the month was 3.34 percent more than 60,897 MU generated in July 2008.

During April-July 2009, the total generation stood at 253179 MU, showing a growth of 5.37 percent compared to 240274 MU generated in April-July 2008.

The thermal power generation during the month stood at 49550 (MU) which was 2.73 percent less than planned 50755 MU, but 8.76 percent more than than 45560 MU produced in July 2008.

"The thermal power generation in July was higher mainly due to the improved availability of gas from KG6 basin and overall generation was higher despite nearly 14 percent negative growth in generation of hydro power at 11,062 MU compared with 12,859 MU in July 2008," a report of CEA said.

The gas based generation registered a growth rate of 40.33 percent during July
2009 and about 25.3 percent during the period April-July 2009, it said. Coal based thermal generation in the country during the period was constrained due to shortage of coal as actual coal supplies to thermal power stations was 88.4 percent of the linkage during the first quarter (Apr-Jun'09) and 79 percent during the month of July 2009.

The shortage of coal has resulted in a loss of generation of 1534 MU up to June 2009 at various power stations of Maharashtra and NTPC. The total coal stock at thermal power station was 10.32 million tons (mt) on July 31 against a desired stock of 22 mt. Out of 78 thermal stations, 31 power stations had critical stock of which 15 had super critical stock position, that is, stock for less than four days as on July 31.

Capacity addition

A total of 750 MW of thermal power capacity was added to the total power generation capacity of the country during July 2009. The target was to add 1,140 MW of thermal power during the month, and hence achievement was 65.79 percent of the target.

As far as hydro power generation capacity addition is concerned, there was no capacity addition and the target was to add 50 MW by the state sector under the same during the month.

There was no target set and no achievement in the nuclear power generation capacity addition.

For the period April to July 2009, the target set for capacity addition for the country was 5,153 MW and the achievement for the same period has been 3,108 MW, 60.31 percent of the target.

Plant load factor

For the month of July 2009, the Plant Load Factor (PLF) for the country stood at 71.83 percent against a target of 71.8 percent.

PLF of thermal stations during the period April to July was 77.79 percent against a target of 78 percent. A total of 23 thermal power stations aggregating to19902.5 MW achieved PLF of more than 90 percent. Out of these, six power stations achieved more then 100 percent PLF.

The central sector exceeded its target at 79.59 percent PLF, against a target of 76.53 percent. For the private sector, the target set was 86.22 percent and they achieved 85.24 percent. The state sector also failed to achieve its set target of 67.55 percent and stood at 65.09 percent.

Nine power stations in the central sector and 13 in the state sector failed to achieve their PLF target for July 2009.

Mejia TPS (34.69 percent shortfall), Talcher STPS (18.76 percent shortfall) and Durgapur STPS (13.34 percent shortfall) were three power stations in the central sector to have maximum shortfall.

In the state sector, DPL achieved the lowest PLF percentage compared to its target. It had a shortfall of 36.58 percent. JSEB and MPPGCL were the other two power stations with high shortfalls of 17.04 percent and 15.64 percent respectively.

Source: Coal Insights