UP faces power crunch as mercury shoots; power unit goes kaput

Lucknow, May 15 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh is facing a major power crisis following the closure of a 500 mw generation unit at Anpara, while demand increases due to spiralling mercury.

The Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) said here that a 500 mw generation unit was not functioning for the past three days. ''Similar is the fate of around six smaller units which were facing technical snags,'' added an official.

While the state was generating only 2000 mw of power, it was importing 7000 mw of electricity from the central pool. ''The import is higher than the quota fixed for UP...still we have a power shortage of around 1200 mw,'' the oficial said.

Normal life has been crippled following massive power cuts affecting major towns including the State capital, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Bareilly, Agra and Noida to a great extent in the wake of unprecedented power crunch in the state.

In rural areas, the power supply was just four hours a day even as the urban towns are not getting power more than 14 hours a day, according to the reports reaching the state headquarters.

According to UPPCL sources, the dismal scenario was not likely to improve soon as the power generation was not matching the demand.

The power situation, which started worsening even before the onset of summers, is going to get tough as mercury is soaring and demand is perpetually northwards.

The performance of UP thermal units is even worse with generation at hardly 1,900 mw against the installed capacity of more than 4,000 Mw and peak hour demand touching 7,000 Mw.

According to UPPCL sources, UP was forced to buy 'costlier' power from Centre under the present circumstances.

Uttar Pradesh is normally authorised to withdraw 2,300 Mw of power from the Central sector and it has to pay extra if withdraws more than that.

The state, with many thermal power stations at its disposal, has installed capacity of 4,607 mw which includes 4,092 mw thermal and 515 mw hydro power. Obra thermal power station has 13 units with the total capacity of 1550 mw, while Paricha has 220 mw.

Anpara 'A' station has capacity of 630 mw while Anpara 'B' has 1,000 mw of installed capacity. Similarly, Harduaganj 'B' has installed capacity of 210 mw, while Harduaganj 'C' has 230 mw and Panki has combined capacity of 252 mw.

In Hydel, Obra hydro has installed capacity of 99 mw, Khari has 72 mw, Matatila 44 mw and Rihand has capacity of 300 mw.

UNI