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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