Load-shedding to be reduced by an hour in mid-February

Load-shedding to be reduced by an hour in mid-February-Pune-Cities-The Times of India

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THE TIMES OF INDIA

Load-shedding to be reduced by an hour in mid-February
16 Jan 2009, 0216 hrs IST, TNN

PUNE: State energy minister Sunil Tatkare on Thursday announced that load-shedding in the state will be reduced further by one hour in mid-February when around 600 MW additional power will be available from Ratnagiri Gas and Power Pvt Ltd (RGPPL). Addressing a news conference here Tatkare stated that the hour-long relief in load-shedding announced on Tuesday was because of increase in generation.

"We recently reduced the load-shedding hours in the state but some political parties claimed that this reduction is due to the decrease in demand, which is not true," Tatkare said, adding, "Load-shedding was reduced because more power became available during past month."

He said that around 860 mw electricity was available in the state, from four different sources. Two hundred MW electricity has come from RGPPL, while 300 MW power has come from Uran Gas plant. The supply of coal has increased thermal power generation by 250 MW and rest 110 MW came from Sipat Project.

Tatkare stated that 600 mw additional power was likely to be available by mid-February. Out of this, 300 mw will be available by end of January and remaining in mid-February. Apart from this, more power generation is expected in the month of May. Tatkare said renovation and repairing of thermal power stations in the state was being undertaken which will further increase availability of power.

According to the minister, the renovation will cost around Rs 4,500 crore and will generate additional 1,200 MW power. "It will be available during the next three years and renovation works will be carried out at Bhusaval, Khaparkheda and Chandrapur power stations," he said.

"Along with additional generation, saving of around 1,000 MW will be achieved by feeder separation and single phasing," he said.