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

POWER UTILITIES IN THE STATE
WBPDCL
State Reports (Vol.-III)
Study on `Impact of Restructuring of SEBs’
West Bengal Power Development Corporation Ltd (WBPDCL) is a State Government
undertaking. WBPDCL have a total generating capacity of 2,900 MW in five
locations. Total energy generated during the last year was 15,109 MU and five years
ago the same was 12,595 MU. Last year, they have sold 13,350 MU of energy. It
generates about 39 per cent of the power in the State and caters to 75 per cent of the
sales to the WBSEB.
The Corporation has an ambitious programme of capacity addition, in addition to
increasing the PLF of the Kolaghat and Bakreswar stations.
The State Government has visualised settlement of the liabilities of WBSEB to
WBPDCL to the tune of Rs 2,725 crores through reduction of its corresponding debt
obligation. If this happens, the Corporation will save Rs 150 crores of interest cost
per year.
Once its books get cleaned up it can raise capital from the market to finance its
expansion programme.
DURGAPUR PROJECTS LIMITED
This is a State Government Company having thermal generation capacity of 401 MW
in 2005-06. 2,176 MU of energy was generated out of which 1,844 MU was sold. The
energy cost at busbar was 206.86 paise/unit and the sale price was 218 paise per unit.
Rs 314 crore was spent on renovation & modernisation and improving the generation
capacity from 387 MW to 401 MW. After that, there has been no investment. PLF has
improved from 30.23 per cent in 2001-02 to 62 per cent in 2005-06. Plant availability
has improved from 42.74 per cent to 81.53 per cent during the corresponding years.
In its area of operation the total demand is assessed at 240 MVA, which is also the
peak load.
The distribution losses have come down from 13.25 to 6.5 per cent during the last five
years. The company has undertaken 100 per cent metering. 90 per cent of the billed
amount is collected within the due date. No subsidy is paid by the State Government.
Up to 2003-04, the company was running at a loss but it has started earning profits
from 2004-05.
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