Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) on Sunday said 10 per cent increase in Industrial consumption of power has been recorded during 2018-19 so far.
Baldev Singh Sran, CMD PSPCL stated that power demand pattern of Punjab is very peculiar, from June to September, the demand shot up to around 12500 MW whereas from October to May demand falls to 5500-6000 MW during daytime and during night hours, it hovers around 3000-3500 MW.
He said power rates in Indian Power exchange are higher in summer and lesser in winters. The only option to deal with such huge variations in demand is to encourage power consumption in the state and find ways and means to sell the surplus power to other States during winter, he said.
Sran said PSPCL lauded the initiative of Punjab Government to introduce industry friendly policies including offering a retail tariff of Rs 5 per unit to industry and Rs 1.25/unit rebate on consumption from 10.00 PM to 6.00 AM (next day) during October 1 to March 31.
He said, such measures have yielded good result and 10 percent increase in industrial consumption has been recorded during 2018-19 so far.
The PSPCL CMD said that during September and October power rates in exchange remain high at Rs 5-8 per unit due to demand outside Punjab and PSPCL saved Rs 2.42 to Rs 2.49 per unit by selling 1430 MUs during this period in 2018 at average rate of Rs 5.74 resulting into saving totalling Rs 350 crores in these two months only.
During winter, due to surplus power throughout the country, the power rates in Power Exchange come down drastically and morning/evening peak time rate is Rs 4-5/unit and Rs 2-3/unit during night time, he said.
Sran also highlighted the fact that to avoid purchasing high cost energy during summer/paddy season, surplus power during winter is banked to get it back during paddy season. During this winter season, banking of 1500 MW has already been done till December 2018 and similar arrangements will be carried till May 2019 with approximate banked energy around 6000 MUs to MP, J&K, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh.
This banked power will be returned by these states to Punjab during next paddy and summer season and approximately 2000 MW would be available next year from June to September from banking, he added.