Centre holds review meet to ensure smooth power supply during peak summer
NEW DELHI: With peak summer season round the corner, the Union Ministry of Power held a high-level review meeting to ensure there is no load-shedding. Power Minister R.K. Singh, while presiding over the meeting, asked the power companies to ensure that there is adequate flow of supply.
Singh asked all stakeholders to closely monitor the situation and take proactive actions to meet the electricity demand during the coming months. The minister directed the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) to ensure that a fair and transparent mechanism is devised for allocation of coal to various states.
Senior officials from the Union ministry of railways, coal and power attended the review meeting, which was held earlier this week. The railway ministry assured the availability of enough racks for transport of coal. The power ministry has directed NTPC to run its 5,000 MW gas-based power stations during the crunch periods of April and May. In addition, 4,000 MW of additional gas-based power capacity would be added by other entities for availability during the summer months.
GAIL has already assured the power ministry of the necessary supply of gas during the summer months. As per the CEA estimates, the peak electricity demand is expected to be 229 GW during the month of April, when the electricity demand is the highest in the country.
The demand then tapers off as monsoon season picks up from the southern part of the country and covers the whole country over the next three to four months. As per estimates, the energy demand is expected to be 1,42,097 MU during April, the highest in 2023, before coming down to 1,41,464 MU in May and further declining to 1,17,049 MU during November.
