UP Power Corp Optimising Resources To Ensure Electricity Supply: Official

Amid disruption in coal supply across the country due to excessive rainfall in coal mining regions and the resulting decline in thermal power generation, Uttar Pradesh on Monday said the state power corporation management is making optimum use of available resources to ensure electricity supply as per the prescribed roster.

Additional Chief Secretary, Energy, and Chairman of Energy Corporations, Dr. Ashish Kumar Goyal, reviewed the power supply situation on Monday and directed officials to ensure electricity supply across all regions of the state according to the prescribed schedule.

He instructed officials to procure power from every available source to strengthen the supply system.

Currently, Uttar Pradesh is facing a power shortage of about 1,500 to 2,000 MW compared to normal days due to coal shortages, an official statement said.

Power demand has also increased compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, around 35 GW of generation has been affected because of coal shortages, it said.

There has also been a decline in wind and hydro power generation. Despite these circumstances, Uttar Pradesh is maintaining a power supply of nearly 27,000 MW. Efforts are being made to provide electricity beyond the prescribed roster in rural areas, tehsil headquarters and Nagar Panchayat regions, it said.

Limited load shedding is being undertaken in rural areas during the night due to the non-availability of an additional 2,000 to 3,000 MW of power.

However, with the restoration of units currently shut down due to boiler tube leakages at Anpara D, Harduaganj-Eand Jawaharpur, approximately 1,500 MW of additional power is expected to become available within the next 2 to 3 days.

In addition, diverting coal from Anpara to Lanco and improving coal supply at Bara have helped ensure maximum generation during nighttime hours, increasing power availability and supply by approximately 700 MW.

The Power Corporation management stated that despite coal supply-related challenges similar to those witnessed in 2017 and 2021, effective management of available resources has ensured uninterrupted power supply across all regions of the state during daytime hours.

Efforts are ongoing to provide electricity for more hours than prescribed under the roster in rural areas, tehsil headquarters, Nagar Panchayats and Bundelkhand regions.

The state government has also asked the Ministry of Coal's senior management to ensure an adequate coal supply.