The faster wind speed ahead of the onset of monsoon in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu is helping to meet power demand across India, two government officials told of the development.
With water levels in reservoirs rising due to rain and strong wind speed over the past 15 days, Karnataka is meeting more than 60% of its electricity demand from renewable energy sources, and selling excess wind power to neighboring states . This in turn has freed up its coal-fueled power generation capacity to meet demand in other parts of the country.
Similarly, Tamil Nadu is planning to switch to renewable energy to meet a major part of its power needs from May 21, based on an assessment that suggests favorable weather and projected wind conditions. Also, 1 gigawatt (GW) of hydropower is expected to come from the Bhakra Dam in Himachal Pradesh, providing a brief respite from the ongoing power crisis in the country.
“There has been some respite in meeting the power demand due to the increase in wind speed ahead of the expected monsoon. Apart from this there has also been an increase in hydropower generation,” said one of the above officials, requesting anonymity.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted an early onset of Southwest Monsoon. “Southwest Monsoon very likely to advance into South Andaman Sea, Nicobar Islands and adjoining South East Bay of Bengal during next 24 hours,” it tweeted on Sunday. Generally, the monsoon covers the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on 22 May and reaches Kerala by 1 June.
The maximum power demand on Sunday stood at 191.25 GW, according to state-run Power System Operation Corp Ltd (POSOCO), which oversees the country’s critical power load management operations. India recorded an all-time high peak power demand of 207.111 GW and a peak power shortfall of 10.77 GW on April 29.
“Karnataka is not using its required quota of coal to fire power plants but has engaged all its wind mills to meet the shortfalls and even supply surplus to neighboring states. Tamil Nadu itself is planning to convert a major part of its power requirements to renewable energy from May 21.
According to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), the 173 power plants that are monitored have coal reserves of 20.74 million tonnes, less than a third of the required stock of 66.49 million tonnes. A total of 80 domestic coal-fired power plants had less than a quarter of their fixed fuel stock and were at a critical level. Also, 10 plants running on imported coal had a critical list of coal till May 15.
Also, 10 plants running on imported coal had a critical list of coal till May 14.
The Union Power Ministry has directed India’s largest power sector lenders- state-run Power Finance Corporation and REC Ltd., to arrange loans for six months to financially stressed imported coal-based power generation plants to enable them to generate to start again.
Rituraj Barua in New Delhi contributed to this story