MPCB ignores norms, allows new Koradi unit too sans flue gas desulphuriser
The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) continues to neglect norms set by its governing body — the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC). The Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited (Mahagenco) was given permission to start operating two new units at Koradi thermal power expansion project some time back, ignoring the lack of flue gas desulphuriser (FGD), which is mandatory. Now, permission has been given to start the third unit too, thus permitting operation of entire project without the mandatory FGD. The Koradi expansion project comprises three units with installed generation capacity of 660MW each for a total of 1,980MW. The project is situated on the city’s outskirts. Citizens in Godhni, Nari, Nara, Mankapur, Jaripatka and adjoining areas are complaining of a lot of smoke emanating from the projects regularly. However, energy minister Chandrashekar Bawankule, who also resides at Koradi, has reportedly pressurized MPCB to permit operation of new units at Koradi without FGD. Bawankule did not respond to TOI’s call and message.Mahagenco officials said process to install FGD has started. The MPCB’s consent appraisal committee, headed by additional chief secretary Satish Gavai, met on December 16 to permit Mahagenco to operate unit no. 10 at Koradi expansion project. “Consent to unit no. 9 was given on condition of installation of FGD by April 30, 2017. Industry shall obtain clarification/amendment in environmental clearance regarding installation of FGD from MoEFCC within three months by March 31, 2017,” the committee said. The environmental clearance issued by MoEFCC to the project on January 4, 2010, said that Mahagenco was supposed to install FGD in first of the three new units and start operations. Installation of FGD in remaining two units was to depend on results obtained from the first unit. Thermal power stations emanate sulphur dioxide (SO2), which can lead to acid rain in adjoining areas. Prolonged exposure to high SO2 level can cause diseases like cancer. Therefore, FGD, a pollution control equipment installed in thermal power plants to reduce SO2 content in emissions, was made mandatory. “Sufficient space has been left at all three units to install FGD. Process to appoint consultant for planning and executing FGD has been started, “ one official said. The official further adds,” FGD is not at all required at the plant. Indian coal contains 0.5% sulphur, which is quite low. Still, request has been made to MoEFCC to extend time limit for FGD installation up to December 2017, which is as per new notification. Ambient air quality norms at the project are within the provided limits.” Matthew Lorito Authentic Jersey
NTPC’s total installed capacity increases to 48,028 MW with Kudgi unit commissioning
India’s largest power generator’s total installed capacity has increased to 48,028 Megawatt with commissioning of its 800 MW unit at Kudgi Super Thermal Power Station in Karnataka. In a statement today, NTPC said this is the first 800 MW unit commissioned by NTPC. The Kudgi power plant will have a total capacity of 4,000 MW comprising three units of 800 MW in the first stage and two units of 800 MW in the second stage. As on today, NTPC has 19 coal-based, seven gas-based, nine solar, one hydro and nine subsidiaries or joint venture power stations. NTPC said it has capacity of over 23,000 MW under implementation at 23 locations across the country including 4,300 MW being undertaken by joint venture and subsidiary companies. The company further said it has a vision to be the world’s leading power company, energizing India’s growth and plans to become 130 Gigawatt company by 2032.
By 2022 India will be one of largest installations of renewable energy: Piyush Goyal
Asserting that the present generation has the duty to leave behind a better place to live in for the next generation, Minister of State for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy and Mines Piyush Goyal on Saturday said by 2022, India will be one of largest installations of renewable energy in world. Goyal also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed towards ramping up renewable energy. “This government is committed and has created an actionable agenda so that by 2022 India would probably be one of the world’s fasted growing renewable energy in the country, one of the largest installations of renewable energy in the world if not the largest. India will have about 2, 25,000 MW of renewable energy by 2022, which is the world’s largest installation.” Under its plan, Goyal said, the government is also committed to set up solar plant of one lakh megawatt to meet its security needs. “So far in the two and half years, we have expanded the solar install capacity by 200 percent, i.e 9,000 MW and by end of December 2017 I expect it to be 20,000 MW,” he added. Piyush Goyal further said India is also considering to expand its hydro power capacity which currently stands at 25 MW. “Similarly in wind we are aggressively taking it to 20,000 MW, apart from expanding the scope of nuclear and small hydro projects,” he said. Goyal also expressed optimism at world’s commitment under the Paris declaration and the Conference of the Parties (CoP) 21 to fight against climate change. “In the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), I am delighted to say that India has been an integral part of that entire journey where it was at the forefront of negotiations in the Paris agreement,” he said. Prince Amukamara Womens Jersey
Parliamentary panel junks claims on power sector achievements
Punching holes in the Centre’s claims that it has overachieved the capacity addition target in the power sector for the 12th Plan period by adding around 88,928.2MW as against the target of 88,537MW till October 31, 2016, a high level Parliamentary panel has noted that the overall target is being achieved due to ‘over-achievement’ of targets assigned to the private sector for the entire Plan period. In its report, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy, which, incidentally, is led by BJP MP Virendra Kumar, has noted that the share of capacity addition assigned to the state-owned entities was a meagre 26,182MW, out of which it was to able to achieve only 14,692MW, a poor 56 per cent till March 31, 2016. The panel has made its observations on the basis to the capacity addition figures provided to it by the power ministry for the period till March 31, 2016. It presented its report to Parliament on December 15, which was the penultimate day of the Winter Session. The ministry in its year ending review for 2016 has claimed that during the 12th Plan period, the capacity addition of about 88,928.2MW was achieved against the actual target of 88,537MW from conventional sources, till October 31, 2016. The Parliamentary panel has struck down the Centre’s claim that though the Centrally-owned entities may have fallen short of the targets for the 12th Plan period (2012-2017), the overall target of 88,537MW is going to be achieved, by observing that it “is not acceptable”. The Centre made this claim before the committee on the basis of the figures available till March 2016. The panel took into cognisance the figures till March 2016, according to which out of the 88,537MW of capacity addition target of the 12th Plan, 84,990MW had already been achieved, i.e. 96 per cent. However, the private sector had over-achieved its target by adding 49,807MW, whereas its target was 46,825MW, by that time itself. This was an over-achievement of 106 per cent. “The overall target is being achieved due to over-achievement of targets by the private sector,” the committee said in its observations. It has cautioned the Centre at the same time that generation capacity addition should not be left entirely to the private sector, and its endeavour should be to make the state-owned power entities match the performance of their private counterparts. It in fact has expressed surprise that the government “has fixed a small target of 26,182MW (of capacity addition) for the Central sector for the 12th Plan, which incidentally also includes 21,654 MW of slipped projects of the previous 11th Plan”. “Despite this, the Central sector has so far achieved only half of what has been assigned in the 12th Plan. Their financial performance re-garding internal and extra budgetary resources has also been poor so far in this Plan period,” said the panel. The panel has also countered the Centre’s claim that the electricity energy shortage in the country has reduced to 0.7 per cent during the current year 2016-17 (up to October, 2016) from 8.7 per cent during the year 2012-13 (as mentioned in its year ending review for 2016). It has said in its observations that this could largely be attributed to the massive generation capacity addition. (However) the private sector has contributed significantly in this huge capacity addition, it noted. In fact that Parliamentary panel has expressed concern that falling energy deficit is also emanating from low demand, as many power stations are running at far below their optimum plant load factor (PLF). It has noted with distress the fact that the fall in demand by state utilities is due to their inability to purchase electricity at a price being offered by generation companies, which is way beyond their reach, thus highlighting the poor financial health of these state power entities. Alex Rodriguez Authentic Jersey
Cong, AAP will withdraw subsidies and concessions if voted to power: Parkash Singh Badal
Sharpening attack on Congress and AAP, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Saturday said the two parties have shown “stiff resistance” to “pro-people” policies of the Akali government and asserted that if re-elected to power he would review “people-friendly” decisions like regularisation of employees. “By announcing that they (opposition) will review the pro-people decisions taken by the state government like regularisation of employees and others, Amarinder Singh (of Congress) and AAP leaders have proved that if voted to power they will withdraw the subsidies and concessions like free power, Atta-Dal, Shagun and others being given to the people,” he said. The Chief Minister was addressing public gatherings in village Dhaler Kalan, Sandhaur, Sherwani Kot, Ferozepur Kothala and others during Sangat Darshan programme in Malerkotla assembly segment. Congress state unit chief Amarinder Singh had earlier said that he would review all decisions taken by the SAD-BJP state government in the last three months, if his party comes to power. Singh, however, yesterday clarified that his statement was twisted and affirmed that no government appointments would be subjected to any scrutiny. Badal said that in last ten years, the SAD-BJP alliance had given free power to farmers at a cost of Rs 5,000 crore annually. He said now in a historic initiative the state government has decided to regularise the services of 30,000 employees by passing the bill in the state assembly. Badal said the SAD-BJP alliance has ensured the welfare of every strata of society by taking several “path-breaking initiatives” for providing jobs, quality health and education facilities and by starting several pro-poor schemes. The veteran Akali leader said Punjabis can never forgive the Congress party for its “sins” against Punjab. “Congress has irrelevantly meddled in the social, political, economic and even religious affairs of the state,” he said, adding that the Congress governments at the Centre had deliberately denied the state of Punjabi speaking areas, its capital Chandigarh and even its legitimate share in river waters. He said “no true Punjabi” can ever forgive Congress for sins like Operation Blue Star and the killing of innocents in 1984 anti-Sikh carnage. On the sidelines of Sangat Darshan, the Chief Minister said he would contest the election from the seat which would be allocated to him by the party. He said in a democratic set up party was the supreme and he had always obeyed by the decision of his party. Flaying the shameful act of vandalisation of Gurdwara in Calgary (Canada), Badal said this incident has bruised the psyche of every human being in general and Sikhs in particular. He said this incident needs to be condemned in strongest words as it was a crime against the humanity as the Sikh Gurus have shown the way of peace, communal harmony and welfare of all to the entire humanity. He said the government of India must ensure the safety and security of the law abiding members of the Punjabi diaspora abroad, which have been living in across the globe for decades as most civilised and productive members of the local society. Jaleel Johnson Womens Jersey
Gurgaon: 24 hours power supply for T&D losses below 20%
The state government will supply 24-hour electricity to feeders where transmission and distribution (T&D) losses have been reduced to below 20%. The incentive is aimed at reducing T&D losses across the state. Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced on Saturday that feeders that have brought T&D losses to less than 20% will be supplied electricity round the clock. Two feeders in Gurgaon have already achieved the feat and are receiving 24-hour power supply. In a meeting with good governance assistants in New Delhi, Khattar commended power discom Dakshin Haryana Bjili Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) for registering profits for the first time since the inception of the corporation in 1999. From losses of more than Rs2,088 crore in 2014, the discom registered a profit of Rs78 crore in the first half of the current financial year. In comparison, Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam has reported losses of Rs1,233 crore in the first half of financial year 2016-17 against losses of Rs336 crore in the last financial year, an analysis by Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) has reported. The CM said that the DHBVN recorded a profit for the first time due to several measures. He said the power discom replaced old and defective electric meters, placed meters outside buildings, sealed meters, checked power theft, increased number of feeders, improved recovery of pending amounts and controlled transmission and distribution losses through various means. Khattar announced that under the 24-hour supply incentive, several feeders in Panchkula district would get uninterrupted power supply for cutting down their T&D losses. “The Ambala district was also doing a commendable job in improving transmission and distribution and the district will soon be covered under the 24-hour power supply scheme,” said Khattar. He also said that the government is taking action against those who are involved in power theft and interrupting government staff in delivering their duties. He said several FIRs have been filed against violators. Cody Whitehair Womens Jersey
BJP government states Rajasthan and Punjab miss UDAY scheme targets; Bihar improves
Discoms of Rajasthan and Punjab have missed their loss-reduction targets under Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY) by wide margins, recent data reveals. On the other hand, Haryana and Bihar have managed to reduce their discoms’ cost-revenue gap or losses more than committed by them under the tripartite UDAY MoU. Also, all five states — with the most debt-burdened discoms — were running behind schedule as on September 30, 2016, in curbing the aggregate technical and commercial (AT&T) losses or pilferage and theft of electricity (see table). A glance at the performance of the five key states that signed on for UDAY reveals a mixed picture. A total of 18 states had decided to participate in UDAY, a scheme to facilitate the financial turnaround and revival of power distribution companies (discoms). The scheme was launched in November last year and the states have committed to reduce their AT&C losses to 15% and eliminate the cost-revenue gap by the end of FY19. Power ministry officials dealing with UDAY told FE that the cost-revenue gap for many states would narrow at the end of the fiscal as many outstanding bills are cleared in third and fourth quarters. The official added that the quarterly disclosure of data was a good tool to keep the discoms on toes but a performance evaluation based on the same would be premature. The emphasis on furnishing timely data seems to have had no impact on Uttar Pradesh. On the Union power ministry’s official UDAY portal, the numbers on cost-revenue gap regarding UP discoms have not yet been updated for the quarter ended September 30. Officials handling the portal told FE that only two out of five UP discoms have furnished the latest data despite several reminders. “We may remove the state’s data from the portal till the final numbers from all the discoms arrive, as incomplete data could show a misleading picture,” an official said. As far as reduction of AT&C losses is concerned, none of the five states managed to achieve their targets, though Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan came closer to their targets. Although the UDAY portal also gives the progress made by the states as per fourteen parameters including feeder metering for both rural and urban areas, smart metering, feeder segregation, access to electricity to unconnected households among others, the improvements in these areas reflect on the broader yardstick of cost-revenue gap and AT&C losses. The Centre launched UDAY as discoms’ accumulated debt ballooned to Rs 4.5 lakh crore by September 2015. The debt has not only put the lenders to discoms at risk but also banks which gave loans to newly commissioned or under-construction projects. States signing up for UDAY issued non-SLR bonds worth Rs 1 lakh crore in fiscal 2016 to take over 50% of discoms’ debt. An additional Rs 67,000 crore of UDAY bonds are expected to be issued in fiscal 2017 to take over another 25% of the debt. Discoms may issue state-guaranteed bonds for the remaining 25% of debt that will remain outstanding with them. Corey Clement Authentic Jersey
Rajasthan suffered Rs 1.2 lakh crore loss in 3 years of Raje govt: Sachin Pilot
Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot today claimed that the state has suffered a loss of Rs 1.2 lakh crore in the three years of the Vasundhara Raje government. “The BJP government has spent the bare minimum on developing infrastructure, agriculture, education and health. The state has suffered a loss of Rs 1.2 lakh crore in the past three years,” he alleged in a statement. He said that “financial mismanagement” under the BJP dispensation put burden on people of the state. “The Raje government is exploiting people by levying new taxes. It has increased power and water tariff arbitrarily,” Pilot alleged. Also, power distribution companies failed to check loss and theft in the last three years, he claimed. The BJP government had set aside Rs 99,000 crore for the power sector. However, it spent only Rs 38,000 crore for the development of public power sector, the Congress leader said. “The Raje government is exploiting people by levying new taxes. It has increased power and water tariff arbitrarily,” Pilot alleged. Ryan Kalil Authentic Jersey
New power tariff structure in works, large domestic consumers to be charged more
The burden of subsidising the power bills of agricultural and low-income families is set to move from industrial consumers to large domestic and commercial consumers of electricity. The government plans to introduce a new tariff structure to charge more from large domestic power consumers rather than industrial units that currently share the cross subsidy burden. Most states categorise households consuming more than 800 units of power a month as large domestic consumers. The government is also working on simplifying tariff patterns by classifying consumers in two to three categories and sub-categories to bring transparency in power billing. An expert committee has been set for this. It comprises senior officials from various states and the power ministry to work on the new tariff structure that encourages energy conservation by residential consumers and reduces the power bill of industrial consumers. The committee is also studying the possibility of increasing fixed charges on connected load of domestic consumers to encourage them to surrender unutilised load. Most states continue with electricity tariff structures created since their formation and are often criticised for political interventions and biases against industrial units that, despite being regular payees, are levied cross-subsidy and other charges.Domestic power consumption, on the other hand, is subsidised, though tariffs increase with consumption. Nowhere in the world except India are power consumers charged for regular payments and bulk consumption. These patterns have never been altered though tariffs have changed over the years. In fact, most countries give sops to industrial consumers onhigher power consumption, a top government official said, not wanting to be identified. Encouraging industrial units to increase power usage is the need of the hour since India has moved away from being a power-deficit country to a power-surplus country, said a senior official in the power ministry, who too did want to be named.Industrial units can absorb the excess generation capacity of power plants operating at about 60% of capacity due to lack of demand from distribution utilities and an ongoing economic slowdown. The utilisation of thermal power plants may fall to 48% by 2022 as the government plans to add 175 GW of renewable energy capacity and 50 GW of new power projects in the pipeline. The Electricity Act, 2003, enabled industrial consumers to choose their sources of power through open access. States initially implemented the reform with enthusiasm but later started imposing financial and nonfinancial barriers on industries to discourage them from purchasing electricity from sources other than their distribution utilities. The Economic Survey 2015-16 highlighted the need for progressive tariff schedules for domestic consumers through which charges for the poor could be reduced and burden on industrial units eased. It said high-cost and low-quality power supply is rendering the units uncompetitive affecting the government’s aim to make India a global manufacturing hub. The report said compared to other developing countries, India’s domestic power tariff schedules have greater scope for progressivity. Increase in tariffs for rich households can be achieved while maintaining or reducing tariffs for the poor. It said regulators should undertake broad welfare analysis while deciding on tariff schedules and cross subsidisation rate for different categories. Artturi Lehkonen Authentic Jersey
Coal year-end review: Consumers to gain Rs 69,310 crore from reduced power tariff
Power consumers are likely to gain to the extent of Rs 69,310 crore from the reduction in electricity tariff enabled by the auction of nine coal blocks to power sector firms so far, power ministry said in a statement today. The auction proceeds from 83 coal mines allocated so far are estimated at over Rs 3.95 lakh crore over the life of the mines, which will be available to the coal bearing states. The actual revenue generated from these coal mines up to October 2016 is Rs 2,779 crore excluding royalty, cess and taxes, the ministry said. “The benefit to consumers in terms of reduction of electricity tariff from auction of 9 coal blocks to ‘Power’ Sector is likely to be about Rs 69,310.97 crore,” the ministry said in the statement. As a step towards commercial mining, the government had put 16 coal mines on offer for allotment to state PSUs for sale of coal. Of these, eight coal mines were earmarked for state PSUs of host states while the rest 8 coal mines were earmarked for state PSUs of non-host States. Also, 5 coal mines have been allocated to state PSUs of coal bearing host states and 2 coal mines have been allocated to state PSUs of non-host states for sale of coal. The ministry also informed the production of raw coal in the country during April-November 2016-17 was 391 million tonne as compared to 385 MT during the corresponding period of previous year, an overall growth of 1.6 per cent. “The coal ministry has given special focus to decrease coal imports. Government has saved about Rs 20,000 crore in the year 2015-16 and about Rs 4,844 crore in the first four months of the current year. The efforts on this front would lead to a further replacement of 15.37 MT of imported coal by March 2017,” the statement said. The coal sector’s performance was impacted due to poor lifting of coal by a few power utilities and less demand of higher grade coal at South Eastern Coalfields. Thanks to high growth in production, power plants were flush with coal stock of 27 days in April 2016. CIL started the current fiscal with an opening stock of 57.7 MT,resulting into accumulation of coal stocks at the pitheads. The ministry said special measures such as spot e-auction and linkage rationalization were undertaken to clear the accumulated stock of coal. “Thus, during April-November 2016, as against the production of 323.64 MT, 340.03 MT was dispatched by CIL. Sporadic Law and Order problems at MCL and CCL have also affected production and offtake,” the statement said. Other issues that impacted dispatch included heavy rainfall in mining areas, cement plants switching over to pet coke and logistical bottlenecks. While the ministry highlighted the progress made by the coal sector over the past year, the industry expressed displeasure on various counts. “The government is curtailing CIL Production due to falling demand but is still continuing with coal imports. This is only due to bloated-up coal prices and abnormally high taxes,” Rajiv Agarwal, Secretary at Indian Captive Power Producers Association (ICPPA) told ETEnergyWorld. He also said, assuming the government agreed to forego entire tax on coal, the cost of coal will reduce by 50 per cent and the corresponding electricity cost by 40 per cent. This will turn all the discoms profitable. “Prices can be reduced by further 50 per cent if CIL is able to bring its manpower costs to International norms. Power cost will further reduce if costly NTPC purchase pacts are rationalized,” he said. The government had earlier this week allowed public and private power producers to swap their coal supplies with a view to reducing the cost of electricity by ensuring more efficient fuel usage. It may eventually extend the facility to other coal-consuming industries. Christian Covington Jersey