Report of Indian Institute of Public Administration ... - Ministry of Power

BACKGROUND
WEST BENGAL
The salient features of the power sector in West Bengal are as follows:
i) The generating capacity of 5,772 MW comprises of 4,660 MW in the State
sector, 312 MW from the DVC plus Central Allocation of 600 MW.
ii) The length of transmission and distribution lines is 1,96,012 ckt km.
iii) The transformer capacity is 38,408 MVA.
iv) 84.97 per cent of the villages have so far been electrified. Number of pumps
energised is about 1.15 lakh.
v) Number of consumers is 7.3 million.
vi) Demand in the State is 26,783 MU. Export outside the State was 3,171 MU in
2004-05. The energy sale pattern in 2004-05 was 29.51 per cent domestic, 45.10
per cent industrial, 12.04 per cent commercial, 4.36 per cent agricultural, 3.32
per cent public service, 4.34 per cent traction and 1.32 per cent to other
categories of consumers;
vii) The Plant Load Factor (PLF) for the State sector thermal power stations was 66
per cent in 2004-05 with average availability at 80 per cent. The AT&C loss for
WBSEB was 37 per cent, whereas the T&D loss for the whole State was 25 per
cent.
viii) During 2005-06 the peak load was estimated to be 4,694 MW with availability of
3,981 MW. For the current year (2006-07), the peak load is estimated to rise to
4,892 MW with availability increasing to 4,376 MW. The State is planning to
bridge this gap during this year itself. The projections for 2011-12 are 5,832 MW
of peak load with availability increasing to 6,990 MW. In 2005-06, availability
was 29,678 MU whereas energy demand was 27,600 MU. During the current
year the energy demand is likely to rise to 29,010 MU whereas the availability is
likely to rise to 31,094 MU. Projections for 2011-12 are 48,545 MU of
availability with the energy demand rising to 37,020 MU.
ONGOING PROJECTS
i) Purulia Pumped Storage Project with capacity of 900 MW (4225 MW). Project
cost is Rs 2,700 crore funded by JBIC. The first unit is scheduled to be
commissioned in March 2007;
ii) Sagar Dighi Thermal Power Project Phase I (2300 MW);