Shortfall as unexpected surge in electricity demand in Punjab

Punjab Economy

Unprecedented demand over the past few days and damage to the transmission system by recent hailstorms have led to a shortfall in power supply across the state.
The demand has surged to unexpected 13,000 MW levels over the past few days, peaking at 13,399 MW.
The demand during the corresponding period had remained around 12,000 MW and peaked at 13,000 levels only for three days in last July.
The government has made arrangements to supply up to 13,700 MW this year through purchase agreements and power banking, besides buying electricity from the power exchange.
“This peak purchase was to be made in July. However, with demand peaking early this year, we have been purchasing power from the exchange. Even tomorrow, we are buying 928 MW (@Rs 3.78 per unit), to meet the demand,” said a senior officer in the state power department, adding they were now ensuring eight-hour supply to farmers.
Officials in the department, who held a meeting to discuss ways to meet the demand today, expressed concern over high demand arising out of (unauthorised) increase in load on tube-wells by hundreds of farmers.
Though a voluntary disclosure scheme was announced by the PSPCL recently, officers say it has failed to enthuse farmers to disclose the additional load.
The estimates for demand are based on the demand data disclosed by customers. The field reports now show farmers having installed higher power pumps to extract water, thus leading to the high demand.

ELECTRICITY STATISTICS OF PUNJAB ENDING 31.03.2020
Sr. No.	DESCRIPTION	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20
A	INSTALLED CAPACITY (MW) ENDING THE YEAR
1	HYDRO
	a). Share -from BBMB#	1133	1133	1133
	b). HYDRO – PSPCL (Including Micro Hydel Projects)	1018	1016	1016
	Total HYDRO (a+b)	2152	2149	2149
2	THERMAL (PSPCL)*	1760	1760	1760
3	IPP **	3920	3920	3920
4	Total (PSPCL) [1b+2+3]	6698	6696	6696
5	Total including BBMB Share (4+1a)	7832	7829	7829
6	Share from Central Sector	4234	4331	4385
7	PEDA and other NRSE Projects ***	1232	1248	1271
8		65	65	417
9	Grand Total (5+ 6+7+8)	13363	13474	13902