Punjab power utility gets award from Central panel
PUNJAB STATE Power Corporation Limited has been awarded for being the best performing power distribution utility by Central Board of Irrigation and Power. The award was given to Karan Deep Chaudhri, chairman-cum-managing director of PSPCL, by Dr Sanjeev Kumar Balyan, Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, on Saturday. A jury, comprising A S Bakshi, member, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, S D Dubey, chairperson of Central Electricity Authority, Ashok Sethi, executive director, Tata Power, G S Jha, CWC chairman, A B Pandya, former CWC chairman, K S Popli, CMD, IREDA, and Ashvini Kumar, MD, SECI, was constituted to choose the best power utility. Chaudhri said PSPCL has been awarded for its outstanding contribution to Punjab by providing reliable 24×7 cost-effective electricity to all categories of consumers and overall development through optimisation of available resources, bringing transparency and ensuring ease of doing business through information technology initiatives, especially in the distribution sector. PSPCL has one of the lowest transmission and distribution losses in the country. It brought down T&D losses from 23.92 per cent in 2007 to 14.63 per cent in 2016. Punjab is the first state to provide unique phone number 1912 for registration of all types of complaints 24X7 by phone and SMS, stated Chaudhri. He added that no grid sub-station/feeder/11 KV sub-station is overloaded in the state. He added that an infrastructure upgradation of 47 major towns of Punjab under the R-APDRP scheme is being done at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore. Chaudhri congratulated and thanked all PSPCL officers and employees for making it possible to achieve this milestone. Nick Ahmed Authentic Jersey
Smart electricity meters can be dangerously insecure
Smart electricity meters, of which there are more than 100 million installed around the world, are frequently “dangerously insecure,” a security expert has said. The lack of security in the smart utilities raises the prospect of a single line of malicious code cutting power to a home or even causing a catastrophic overload leading to exploding meters or house fires, according to Netanel Rubin, co-founder of the security firm Vaultra. “Reclaim your home,” Mr. Rubin told hackers and security experts, “or someone else will.” If a hacker took control of a smart meter, they would be able to know “exactly when and how much electricity you’re using,” Mr. Rubin told the 33rd Chaos Communications Congress in Hamburg. An attacker could also see if a home had any expensive electronics. “He can do billing fraud, setting your bill to whatever he likes … The scary thing is if you think about the power they have over your electricity. He will have power over all of your smart devices connected to the electricity. This will have more severe consequences: imagine you woke up to find you’d been robbed by a burglar who didn’t have to break in. “But even if you don’t have smart devices, you are still at risk. An attacker who controls the meter also controls the meter’s software, allowing him to cause it to literally explode.” Mr. Rubin said many of the warnings were not hypothetical. In 2009 Puerto Rican smart meters were hacked en masse, leading to widespread billing fraud, and in 2015 a house fire in Ontario was traced back to a faulty smart meter, although hacking was not implicated in that. Outdated protocols The problems at the heart of the insecurity stem from outdated protocols, half-hearted implementations and weak design principles. While the physical security of smart meters is strong — “trust me, I tried” to hack in that way, Mr. Rubin said — the wireless protocols many of them use are problematic. To communicate with the utility company, most smart meters use GSM, the 2G mobile standard. That has a fairly well-known weakness whereby an attacker with a fake mobile tower can cause devices to “hand over” to the fake version from the real tower, simply by providing a strong signal. In GSM, devices have to authenticate with towers, but not the other way round, allowing the fake mast to send its own commands to the meter. Worse still, said Mr. Rubin, all the meters from one utility used the same hard-coded credentials. “If an attacker gains access to one meter, it gains access to them all. It is the one key to rule them all.” Inside the home, too, the communications are rendered insecure by outdated standards and bad implementation. Almost all smart meters use the Zigbee standard to speak to other smart devices in the home. Zigbee, which dates from 2003, is a home automation standard, used for controlling everything from lightbulbs to air conditioners. But it is so convoluted, due to the vast array of devices supported, that it is almost better to think of it as 15 different standards, each of which vendors can choose to implement as they see fit. “This unique situation is so difficult to implement, vendors actually choose what they want to implement. And when they choose what to support, they more often than not skip security,” Mr. Rubin said. — The Guardian Cooper Kupp Authentic Jersey
New Year begins with crude shock for consumers as all fuels become costlier
The New Year started on a crude note for consumers as fuels across the board became costlier due to an uptick in global oil prices in the wake of a global production cut deal among major oil exporters, including Opec and Russia. State-run fuel retailers raised petrol price by Rs 1.29 a litre, the third in a month. Diesel rate was hiked by 97 paise a litre, marking the second increase in a fortnight. The actual price, however, at the pumps will be higher since the revised prices are excluding local levies. The price of subsidised LPG cylinder was also raised by Rs 2 in line with a decision to raise prices every month till the price attains parity with market rates. Jet fuel also became costlier by 8.6%, or Rs 4,161 per kilolitre (kl), to Rs 52,540.63 per kl in Delhi. While airlines are loathe to pass on reduction in the price of fuel — which accounts for 40-50% of operational costs — they are quick to raise fares on costlier fuel. Jet fuel rates were reduced by 3.7% last month. Global benchmark oil, Brent, which has nearly 30% weightage on India’s crude bill, has risen 52% in 2016, especially pushed by the production cut deal. after in this year, substantially oil prices Brent rose 52 percent this year and WTI climbed around 45 percent, the largest annual gains since 2009, when the benchmarks rose 78 percent and 71 percent respectively. As a result, India’s crude purchase cost has risen to $54.55 a barrel from an average of $44.46 in November. Vernon Hargreaves III Jersey
Petronet signs pact to set up $950 mn LNG project in B’desh
India’s largest LNG importer Petronet has signed an agreement to set up a USD 950 million liquefied natural gas import project in Bangldesh. Petronet signed a MoU with with Petrobangla to set up a 7.5 million tonnes a year project to receive and regasify LNG on Kutubdia Island in Cox’s Bazar and lay a 26-km pipline to connect it to the consumption markets. “We intend to start marine survey work this month and are targeting 2020 for completion of the project,” Petronet LNG CEO and Managing Director Prabhat Singh told here. Singh signed the memorandum of understanding with Petrobangla secretary Syed Ashfaquzzaman on December 30. The project envisions future expansion and can be used to supply LNG through small barges and LNG trucks to users which are not connected by gas grid. While what has now been signed is just a preliminary agreement, a formal pact will be signed once a joint venture is agreed between Petronet and Petrobangla. “We are keen that Petrobangla becomes part of the joint venture (building the LNG) project and are willing to offer them up to 26 per cent stake. But they are not keen to invest due to fund constraints. So we would like them to keep a nominal interest of say 5 per cent or so,” he said. Petronet, he said, is not looking at partnership with Petrobangla for funds but only for project securitisation. “We want an assurance that they will buy the gas we import,” he said. Singh said his company is also keen to rope in state gas utility GAIL India Ltd in the project at some point of time to help implement the pipeline that is to be laid to connect the import facility with consuming markets. And others like Indian Oil Corp (IOC) too can join if city gas projects are to be developed, he said. “GAIL may be wanting to sell LNG into Bangladesh and then there is this pipeline. So, it will be a great fit if they join the project,” he said. Bangladesh has a lot of unmet demand. Gas demand is projected to more than double to 45 million tonnes from current 20 million tonnes in next 20 years. “The LNG projects planned will not be able to meet all of this demand,” he said. Petronet’s import terminal is expected to be completed within four years. Excelerate Energy is looking at setting up a floating terminal at Moheshkhali. Ethan Pocic Authentic Jersey
Outlook for Energy
Outlook for Energy is Exxon Mobil’s global view of energy demand and supply through 2040. In 2040, oil use will be slightly lower and natural gas slightly higher with a total of 58% of the global energy mix. Natural Gas demand rises the most, largely to help meet increasing needs for electricity and to support rising industrial demand. North America is about to become an important energy player in this new energy paradigm. Introduction: Exxon Mobil’s 2040 outlook is an important study and a stark reminder that the “global energy mix” will be basically the same for Oil and Gas, looking as far as 2040, with only a few differences. Since the Industrial Revolution started, Oil and Natural gas have played an instrumental role in economic transformation and mobility in our industrialized and “modern” World. Oil was so fundamental in the 20th Century, that we regard it often as the “Age of Oil”. Today, Oil and Natural gas are still playing a pivotal role in the current global energy mix. Today, approximately 35% of primary energy used globally is assured by oil-based fuels, and natural gas represents a further 22% of total world energy mix. In 2040, oil use will be slightly lower and natural gas slightly higher with a total of 58% combined. Which means that oil will remain the world’s primary energy source through 2040. Why is this important? Because energy is fundamental to modern life. It is critical to human progress and to improving living standards for billions of people across the globe. Deion Sanders Jersey
Lined up for 2017 Kochi. Reloaded
In the pipeline LNG deadline revised 2016 too proved to be a non-starter year for the LNG pipeline project from Kochi to Mangaluru. However, a major development connected to the project did happen last year. The oil and natural gas regulator Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has revised the deadline for laying the Kochi-Koottanad-Bengaluru-Mangaluru natural gas pipeline network to February 2019. But now GAIL now says that it is committed to complete the project by the second half of 2018, ahead of the revised timeline. In a letter to Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL), which is tasked with the laying of the pipeline, dated December 8, PNGRB stated that the new schedule was announced considering the recommendation of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. The initial deadline for completion of the project was June 2015. GAIL had resumed work on the Phase-II of Kochi-Koottanad-Bengaluru-Mangaluru Pipeline in the state in October 2016. The IL&FS Engineering Services, which bagged the contract for the pipeline laying work, divided the entire 503-km pipeline project into four parts. Kochi Refinery Expansion Kochi Refinery expansion is part of BPCL’s D200 billion integrated refinery expansion project, which also includes a D50 billion petrochemical project to produce specialty chemicals. The work on its 15.5-million ton refinery expansion in Kochi is almost completed and the commissioning will take place in the fourth quarter. The Refinery may look at further increasing its capacity to 22 million tons (MT). “With land acquisition becoming one of the biggest hurdles in new projects, we may look at further increasing the Kochi capacity to 22 MT at a later stage as we have enough land there even after the ongoing D1650 billion work,” said a top official of BPCL. Infopark Kochi Infopark Kochi’s ambitious second phase on 167 acres turned operational with the commissioning of the Cognizant campus. Once completed, the D25 billion project will have 8 million sq.ft. space, generating 80,000 jobs. Infopark Kochi, started the year 2016 by throwing open the first IT building on six acres with a total built-up area of 0.33 million sq.ft. at Koratty in Thrissur district. Another development is that World Trade Centre, Kochi with state-of-the-art infrastructure developed by Brigade Group with Kochi Infopark, was launched on the Infopark campus. The foundation stone for IBS Software campus on nearly five acres with a built-up area of 0.6 million sq.ft. was laid at Infopark. Kerala Startup Mission Year 2016 was significant for the startups in Kerala. The startup village in Kalamassery was taken over by Kerala Startup Mission. Now the government entity is trying hard to make an impact in the startup ecosystem in the country. Larger drydock for Cochin Shipyard The Cochin Shipyard is all set to receive an investment to the tune of D18 billion for the construction of a larger drydock at the yard and another D9.70 billion for the upcoming International Ship Repair Facility (ISRF) on the Cochin Port premises. The Shipyard had already received environmental clearance for both these projects. The proposed initial public offering (IPO) – stock market sale of 3,39,84,000 equity shares of Rs 10 each amounting to an equity capital of D339.84 million of the yard – to raise funds for both the projects. Even though the timeline for the IPO is not yet declared, the PSU major is all set to enter into the stock market in 2017. Zack Martin Jersey
Prices of LPG cylinders, kerosene and jet fuel increased
A subsidised 14.2 kg cylinder will become expensive by Rs 2 to Rs 434.71 in Delhi, as against Rs 432.71 earlier. State-run oil marketing companies (OMCs) on Saturday hiked the price of subsidised cooking gas, or LPG, along with kerosene and aviation turbine fuel (ATF). The three state-owned OMCs revise rates of LPG, kerosene and ATF on the first of every month, based on global oil prices and the foreign exchange rate. This is the seventh straight month of increase in cooking gas cylinder prices — a subsidised 14.2 kg cylinder will become expensive by Rs 2 to Rs 434.71 in Delhi, as against Rs 432.71 earlier. In a move to reduce its LPG subsidy outgo, the government in July had decided on small hikes of around Rs 2 per cylinder every month. NON-SUBSIDISED LPG DEARER BY RE 1 The price of non-subsidised LPG, which consumers buy after exhausting their quota of 12 cylinders in a year, was also hiked on Saturday by Re 1 to Rs 585. Meanwhile, kerosene will became dearer by 26 paisa to Rs 19.43 per litre in Kolkata Steve Yzerman Jersey