IF the monsoon is delayed or deficient, power cuts make summer almost unbearable, provoking vociferous public protests at places. The demand-supply mismatch deteriorates with each passing summer. As India grows, industry and agriculture need more power. So do citizens with rising incomes. Urbanisation can go haywire if rising power needs are not met. But there is not sufficient power for all. Punjab and Haryana are short of 300 lakh units each daily. Delhi’s supply has improved but private sector power comes at a hefty price. Himachal Pradesh has surplus power in summer, but inter-state cooperation to solve common regional problems is missing.
At the national level, the power sector is crippled by fuel shortages, lack of funds, the poor financial condition of power corporations/boards and the absence of cost-reflective tariffs. In addition, land acquisition disputes and delays in environmental clearances hold up power projects. Though the sector is open to 100 per cent foreign investment, no outside investor has shown interest. At the regional level, the power problem is aggravated by populism and mismanagement. Power corporations are not run professionally. They hardly ever switch off the supply of defaulters. Transmission losses are unacceptably high. Pilferage by industry, with official connivance and political patronage, is rampant. Free power to farmers encourages waste and depletes groundwater resources. Delayed payments for the power subsidy or their adjustment against government loans and dues of the electricity duty have bankrupted the power utilities, which have no money to buy power, replace the creaky distribution system or generate additional electricity. The Badal government’s boast of making Punjab power surplus remains only that. Power from private plants may be too expensive and irregular due to coal shortages.
Power holds the key to development. Unless all possible energy sources, including nuclear, solar, agricultural and municipal waste, are tapped, supply would always fall short of demand. Power comes at a price which has to be paid. All stakeholders, especially politicians, will have to realise that future can light up only if enough power is generated at the minimum possible cost, distributed efficiently and paid for promptly.
Punjab will soon have a unique system of alternative power transmission across the state. The state is all set to have a 400 KV ring main circuit which will help it to supply power in case of a technical snag in the high-tension (HT) transmission lines.
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said the state was now investing in the transmission and distribution system to reduce transmission losses and to upgrade it to meet the generation capacities. "Since we are sure that the new power plants in the state will be commissioned by the end of 2013, our focus is on improving the transmission and distribution system," he said.
The ring main circuit being envisaged for the state will have GIS mapping of all 132 KV and 220 KV sub-stations. It is learnt that 400 KV sub-stations will be set up at Muktsar, Makhu, Nakodar, Rajpura and Dhuri, and these will be connected in a circular circuit through HT transmission lines. This would ensure an alternative transmission system for supplying power in case one of the HT lines developed a snag. A number of towers will have to be erected at a circular distance to create a ring.
Sukhbir said the state had invested Rs 3,900 crore on strengthening transmission and distribution network which included the construction of grid sub-stations and laying new transmission lines.
Earlier, while speaking at the inauguration of the Conference of Power Reforms for the North, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry yesterday, Sukhbir reiterated that Punjab would be power surplus by December, 2013.
"By next year, Punjab will have its own generation capacity, including BBMB share of 8,816 MW with 355 MW share from central projects, 1,033 MW from share of ultra mega projects, 647 MW share from Damodar Valley project and 436 MW from NRSE projects," he said.
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