New Delhi In many parts of the country, due to falling demand amid cold temperatures and rains, the power crisis seems to be subsiding for the time being.
According to Power System Operation Corporation Ltd data, the maximum power demand on Sunday, May 22, stood at 183 GW, down from the highest demand of 207 MW at the end of April. A week ago, the maximum power demand was 198.04. GW.
Further, the day-forward market on the Indian Energy Exchange remained at the market clearing price 3.54 per kWh on Monday, down from 5.9 per kWh a week ago (May 19), indicating ease of supply on the exchange. During the last week of April, the day-to-day market price . remained around the upper limit of 12 per kilowatt hour.
Girishkumar Kadam, Senior Vice President and Co-Group Head, ICRA said that the recent fall in temperature has led to a drop in power demand and the fall in prices on power exchanges also indicates ease in the market.
Temperatures have been falling since the rains triggered by pre-monsoon rains in Kerala and cyclone Asani in coastal states including Odisha and Andhra Pradesh a week ago.
Apart from this, there was a sharp drop in temperature in Delhi-NCR on Monday morning due to thunderstorm and rain. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said, “Today from 5:40 am to 7 am, the temperature dropped by 11 degree Celsius to 29 degree Celsius. 18 degrees Celsius.”
According to the IMD, thunderstorms, moderate intensity rain and gusty winds reaching 60-90 kmph will continue over Delhi-NCR and its adjoining areas. According to the IMD, during May 22-24, rain in Northwest and East region is likely to reach peak intensity on May 23.
The maximum temperature may remain below 40 degree Celsius till May 26, and is likely to reach up to 41 degree Celsius by May 28. The summer conditions are likely to remain subdued till May 29 or 30 due to an active Western Disturbance, which brought rain. North West India this morning.
The power demand is also expected to remain subdued in the next few days in view of the forecast of incessant rain and thundershowers.
Analysts said cooler temperatures as well as steps taken by the Center to improve coal supply to power plants also supported the market.
Earlier this month, the power ministry asked all imported coal-fired plants to start operating at 100% capacity, saying these plants would be required to buy coal and generate electricity to resume their operations. Working capital is required.
The ministry had also mandated blending of 10% imported coal by power plants to meet the growing demand. Power demand surged last month, raising fears of a crisis situation, with low availability of coal and railway rakes to transport the mineral to the plants.
According to data from the Central Electricity Authority, the total coal stock in the 173 power plants under its purview is 20.9.7 million tonnes, which is 32 per cent of the required 66.49 million tonnes.