'Delhi to become power surplus state by 2010'

New Delhi, Dec 22: The state Government has taken several steps to make Delhi a power surplus state in the run up to the 2010 Commonwealth games, Delhi Transport and Power Minister Haroon Yusuf said today.

The Capital has arrived at power sharing arrangement with the Damodar Valley Corporation, the Tehri Hydro Dam Corporation and the Badarpur Power Plant, promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy in various government and private bodies in the state, Mr Yusuf said.

''There is a demand-supply shortage of 500 to 900 MW of power which is currently being made up by making bilateral arrangements with states having a surplus. However, now arrangements are being made for ensuring that the Capital becomes surplus in power by 2010 and the demand-supply gap would be reduced on year-to-year basis from the year 2007,'' Mr Yusuf said after inaugurating an exhibition on showcasing the Delhi power sector.

Between 2007 and 2011, Delhi would get 8010 MW of power from various sources -- The Damodar Valley Corporation, Tehri Hydro dam Corporation, Aravali power company in Jhajjar, Badarpur Thermal power Plant, Tala power plant in Bhutan, Dadri plant in Uttar Padesh and Pragati II, III and IV.

With these arrangements, Delhi is all set to become a power surplus state by 2010, the minister said.

About 2500 MW of power would come from the Damodar Valley Corporation, 600 MW would be sourced from Tehri, 750 MW would come from a joint venture power plant planned with the Haryana government at Jhajjar while 1000 MW is expected to come from Badarpur plant.

Another 1000 MW will be available from the Pragati II, III and IV gas-based power plants to be set up in Delhi in the next few years.

The above steps are sought to be augmented with the efforts to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy which include promoting use of CFL lamps and electronic chokes by the discoms in all hospitals and government buildings and promoting use of solar water heating systems in all domestic units.

Infact, under a scheme to promote use of Solar Water heating systems in domestic units, a subsidy of Rs 6000 is being given to each unit. All the 75 government hospitals in the state and the private ones have been asked to switch over to solar water heating systems.

About 15 companies have been identified for undertaking energy audits of the hospitals, 12 government buildings, 15 NDMC and 58 central government buildings.

With these measures, it is proposed to save almost 500 MW of power and make Delhi's economy more efficient.

Speaking on the occasion, Principal Secretary Power, Rakesh Mehta said to handle public grievances relating to metering and billings by Discoms, the Delhi Government's department of power in the next 10 to 15 days will set up a public grievance cell at Minto road to be headed by a retired judge.

The objective of the exhibition is to showcase the tremendous strides made by the power sector since its privatisation five years ago, when seven companies were created out of the erstwhile Delhi Vidyut Board - three distribution companies, two generation companies, one transmission company and one holding company.

All the companies in the power sector are showing profits today, Mr Yusuf said adding, ''the exhibition shows Delhi's power sector has come a long way today and is vibrant and self sustainable''.

He said the A T and C losses have reduced from over 50 per cent in 2002 to 35 per cent in 2006 and are to be further brought down to below 18 per cent over the next 2-3 years.

''The reduction in A T and C losses means taking action against those stealing power for which five special courts have been set up on the Supreme Court's directions. Further, three CISF companies, of which one has already been deployed, would work to ensure that cases of theft are brought down,'' he said.

UNI