Almost 14 hours of power cut a day for the last two months is forcing industries, small and big, to go in for generators. A generator supplier here says that the company used to supply about five generator sets a month. Now, it is 15 to 20 a month. The orders received are higher. Nearly four months ago, the company used to book orders for one or two a week. Now, it is much higher. The demand is mostly for generators of 10 KVA to 100 KVA capacity. While the 10 KVA or 15 KVA generators go for domestic use, the higher capacity ones are for industries. Several small and medium-scale units seek reduction in initial cost. The micro units make enquiries. Use of generator sets is not viable for applications such as welding. Apart from the demand for new generators, the second-hand market is also at its peak, the supplier said. Higher use of generators has pushed up the demand for diesel too. An official of an oil marketing company here told The Hindu that there is 30 per cent to 40 per cent increase during the last six months in the company’s diesel despatch from its terminal here as against the average monthly increase of 10 per cent in off-take earlier, which was mainly for the automobile sector. The company used to despatch 1,500 kilo litres of diesel a day earlier. On an average, it was 1,900 kl a day now. Some textile mills that purchased directly from the company used to take one or two loads of diesel a month earlier. Now, it was six to eight loads (normally a load is 12,000 litres). Some even ask for a load every day. J. James, president of Tamil Nadu Association of Cottage and Micro Enterprises, said that the job working units were in such a situation that they would not have orders if they did not have generator sets. The energy cost worked out to Rs.20 a unit with the use of generator. Though this is not viable, “we cannot afford to lose orders or the workers,” he said. The units had to give work to the employees at least for eight hours a day. So, most of them preferred to use power from the grid for four hours and generator for another four hours a day. Those who cannot afford to buy generator sets independently are looking at getting into groups of four or five and investing for a common generator (if the units are located on the same premises), he said. http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/power-cuts-lead-to-surge-in-generator-sales/article4122637.ece
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Power cuts lead to surge in generator sales
Almost 14 hours of power cut a day for the last two months is forcing industries, small and big, to go in for generators. A generator supplier here says that the company used to supply about five generator sets a month. Now, it is 15 to 20 a month. The orders received are higher. Nearly four months ago, the company used to book orders for one or two a week. Now, it is much higher. The demand is mostly for generators of 10 KVA to 100 KVA capacity. While the 10 KVA or 15 KVA generators go for domestic use, the higher capacity ones are for industries. Several small and medium-scale units seek reduction in initial cost. The micro units make enquiries. Use of generator sets is not viable for applications such as welding. Apart from the demand for new generators, the second-hand market is also at its peak, the supplier said. Higher use of generators has pushed up the demand for diesel too. An official of an oil marketing company here told The Hindu that there is 30 per cent to 40 per cent increase during the last six months in the company’s diesel despatch from its terminal here as against the average monthly increase of 10 per cent in off-take earlier, which was mainly for the automobile sector. The company used to despatch 1,500 kilo litres of diesel a day earlier. On an average, it was 1,900 kl a day now. Some textile mills that purchased directly from the company used to take one or two loads of diesel a month earlier. Now, it was six to eight loads (normally a load is 12,000 litres). Some even ask for a load every day. J. James, president of Tamil Nadu Association of Cottage and Micro Enterprises, said that the job working units were in such a situation that they would not have orders if they did not have generator sets. The energy cost worked out to Rs.20 a unit with the use of generator. Though this is not viable, “we cannot afford to lose orders or the workers,” he said. The units had to give work to the employees at least for eight hours a day. So, most of them preferred to use power from the grid for four hours and generator for another four hours a day. Those who cannot afford to buy generator sets independently are looking at getting into groups of four or five and investing for a common generator (if the units are located on the same premises), he said. http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/power-cuts-lead-to-surge-in-generator-sales/article4122637.ece
Power generation hit by technical snags
HYDERABAD: Repeated breakdowns of thermal power plants due to technical
snags are skewing the power supply position across the state.
As much as 1100 MW of thermal power generation has been lost due to these break downs on Wednesday after five thermal plants reported technical snags. According to APGenco sources, the snags are occurring because the annual shutdown and capital maintenance has not happened as yet.
The delay in carrying out the annual shutdown in thermal power plants is because of soaring electricity demand and lower output from hydropower plants, hit by weak rainfall during the monsoon season. It is this that is triggering breakdowns in the coal-fired generation units, they added.
At present, Vijayawada thermal station unit 1 and 6, Kothagudem thermal station unit 5 and 6 and Kakatiya thermal plant near Warangal have shut down causing a shortage of 1100 MW every day. It would take at least one week for all the units to resume functioning. In particular, the 500 MW Kakatiya thermal plant near Warangal and 6 and 7 units at Vijayawada thermal station are reporting high number of technical snags even after stabilization forcing the state to resort to the Srisailam hydel power during peak hours.
However, the hydel units are not of much help as several hydel power stations too have become inoperational due to precarious water levels in the reservoirs. The deficient monsoon rainfall has hurt hydropower generation in the state significantly, putting more pressure on thermal power generators as demand for electricity rises from consumers for cooling needs and farmers for irrigation using electric pumps.
The state government had asked the state-owned APGenco, country's third biggest power generator, to keep its plants running due to huge shortfall in hydel power generation during rainy season. According to senior officials of AP Genco, the risk of a breakdown is always there if repair and maintenance doesn't take place and every year some units at a project would have to go for capital maintenance like replacement of worn out equipment.
The state has five thermal stations producing 5,092 MW power at 23 units of various generation capacities. APGenco is the third largest power generating and the second highest hydro power generating utility in the country. It has achieved highest total energy generation and highest thermal power generation in 2008-09, first time since its inception. The plant load factor was 86.7% against the all India average of 77.2%.The hydro-power generation was 85% of available capacity.
As much as 1100 MW of thermal power generation has been lost due to these break downs on Wednesday after five thermal plants reported technical snags. According to APGenco sources, the snags are occurring because the annual shutdown and capital maintenance has not happened as yet.
The delay in carrying out the annual shutdown in thermal power plants is because of soaring electricity demand and lower output from hydropower plants, hit by weak rainfall during the monsoon season. It is this that is triggering breakdowns in the coal-fired generation units, they added.
At present, Vijayawada thermal station unit 1 and 6, Kothagudem thermal station unit 5 and 6 and Kakatiya thermal plant near Warangal have shut down causing a shortage of 1100 MW every day. It would take at least one week for all the units to resume functioning. In particular, the 500 MW Kakatiya thermal plant near Warangal and 6 and 7 units at Vijayawada thermal station are reporting high number of technical snags even after stabilization forcing the state to resort to the Srisailam hydel power during peak hours.
However, the hydel units are not of much help as several hydel power stations too have become inoperational due to precarious water levels in the reservoirs. The deficient monsoon rainfall has hurt hydropower generation in the state significantly, putting more pressure on thermal power generators as demand for electricity rises from consumers for cooling needs and farmers for irrigation using electric pumps.
The state government had asked the state-owned APGenco, country's third biggest power generator, to keep its plants running due to huge shortfall in hydel power generation during rainy season. According to senior officials of AP Genco, the risk of a breakdown is always there if repair and maintenance doesn't take place and every year some units at a project would have to go for capital maintenance like replacement of worn out equipment.
The state has five thermal stations producing 5,092 MW power at 23 units of various generation capacities. APGenco is the third largest power generating and the second highest hydro power generating utility in the country. It has achieved highest total energy generation and highest thermal power generation in 2008-09, first time since its inception. The plant load factor was 86.7% against the all India average of 77.2%.The hydro-power generation was 85% of available capacity.
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