Reduced power generation notwithstanding, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSCL) has topped the chart in the country by selling 744 million units (MUs) of power worth Rs 426 crore in a single month, that is September-2018.
“It is for the first time in the annals of PSPCL’s history that it has sold power worth Rs 426 crores in a single month during September 2018 to other states without imposing any power cut in the State thus setting a new milestone,” said PSPCL chairman-cum-managing director Baldev Singh Sran.
Sran said that PSPCL supplied more power within the state and also sold more power outside the state in spite of 880 MW (mega watt) reduction in the installed capacity due to closure of Bathinda Thermal Plant and two units of Ropar thermal plant.
Besides, there was reduction in generation from its own hydel and Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) plants to the extent of 400 MW because of less water inflows which had resulted in lower hydel generation of 1124 MUs from April to August 2018 in comparison to corresponding period in 2017, he said.
“It is a matter of pride for the state of Punjab that for September 2018, it has become number one at all India level in selling power at Indian Energy Exchange (IEX), that is 744 MUs worth Rs 426 crore at the rate of Rs 5.73 per unit,” he said.
Spokesperson said that the total power traded on IEX during September 2018 was 5725.4 MUs at average round the clock rate of Rs 4.69 per unit and average peak hour rate of Rs 6.52 per unit, so Punjab was able to get much higher average selling rate as it was able to sell more power during peak hours that helped fetch overall average rate of Rs 5.73 per unit.
During 2017-18 from April to September, 221 MUs power worth Rs 87 crore at the rate of Rs 3.93 per unit was sold, whereas this year up to September 2018, 1,073 MUs power worth Rs 569 Cr at the rate of Rs 5.31 per unit has already been sold through exchange surpassing previous (2017-18) year’s total power sale of Rs 446 crore at the rate of Rs 3.66 per unit during the whole year.
Further, PSPCL supplied 28,773 MUs energy during this year up to August 2018 within the state which is 506 MUs more than 28,267 MUs supplied during same period in 2017.
During peak paddy and summer season, PSPCL successfully catered to maximum demand of 12,638 MW on July 10, 2018, with zero short-term power purchase against previous historical maximum demand of 11,705 MW met on July 11, 2017.
Spokesperson said that the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) day-ahead power market achieved all time high record volume of 306 MU (12,750 MW average round the clock basis) for delivery on Saturday, September 29, 2018, marking the first triple century since inception of the Exchange in 2008, out of which 92 MUs, (3830 MW) worth Rs 59 crore at the rate of Rs 6.38 crore were sold by PSPCL alone.
Out of total traded volume of 271 MUs on IEX on Sunday, September 30, PSPCL is selling 104 MUs (4330 MW) power — highest so far during a single day.
Applauding PSPCL’s role, the state Power Minister Gurpreet Singh Kangar patted the state power utility for fulfilling promise made by Capt Amarinder Singh Government regarding eight-hour uninterrupted power supply to agricultural sector during paddy season. “Such good measures would lead to fulfilling the promises of lowering power tariff in future in the state,” he said.