thermal power development - Infraline

Central electricity authority Annual Report 2009-10
4.3 Optimum Utilization of available
Generating Capacity - Inter
Regional Exchanges of Power
Northern, Western, Eastern and North-
Eastern Grid (NEW Grid) with an installed
generating capacity of 1,16,022 MW as on
31.03.2010 and peak load of 91,748 MW
for the year 2009-10 are connected through
synchronous links. Southern Region, with
an installed generating capacity of 43300.5
MW as on 31.03.2010 and peak load of
32,178 MW for the year 2009-10 is connected
with Eastern Region and Western Region
through asynchronous HVDC links. The total
inter-Regional transmission capacity as on
31.03.2010 is 20,750 MW which includes
132/110 kV Inter-regional link of 600 MW
capacity. The power transfer capacity as on
31.03.2010 was 6,330 MW between Eastern
Region and Northern Region, 2,990 MW
between Eastern Region and Western Region,
3,630 MW between Eastern Region and
Southern Region, 1,260 MW between Eastern
Region and North Eastern Region, 4,220 MW
between Western Region and Northern Region
and 1,720 MW between Western Region and
Southern Region. Synchronous operation of the
Northern, Western, Eastern and North-Eastern
Regional Grids and asynchronous operation of
the Combined Grid with the Southern Grids
helped in export of surplus/ unutilised power
across various Regions.
All regional grids experienced shortages
of varying degrees as well as some seasonal /
off-peak surpluses. These surpluses were
exported by surplus States to deficit State.
During 2009-10, Eastern Region was the net
exporter, whereas Northern, Western, Southern
and North-Eastern Regions were net importers
of power. Himachal Pradesh and J&K in
Northern Region, Goa, Gujarat and DNH &
Daman Diu in Western Region, Jharkhand,
"Electricity is life: Conserve it."
Bihar and Damodar Valley Corporation in Eastern
Region, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram,
Nagaland and Tripura in North- Eastern Region
and Puducherry in Southern Region were net
exporters of power during this period.
Govt. of India (GoI) has set up Central
Generating Stations (CGS) through GoI
Undertakings, viz. NTPC Ltd., National Hydro
Power Corporation Ltd. (NHPC), Satluj Jal
Vidut Nigam Ltd. (SJVNL), Neyveli Lignite
Corp. (NLC), Nuclear Power Corporation (NPC)
etc. Except for few stations dedicated to the host
State, output of CGS is allocated to various
States. About 85% of the installed capacity is
allocated as firm shares, whereas about 15%
is the unallocated quota, which is allocated by
GoI from time to time depending upon relative
shortages and contingent conditions. CEA keeps
a close watch on the power supply position
and recommends to the Ministry of Power the
quantum of allocation from the unallocated
quota. CEA also coordinates the implementation
of the allocation through the Regional Power
Committees.
Open Access is a key provision in the
Electricity Act, 2003 for utilisation of power in
surplus areas by needy States/utilities in deficit
areas, besides bringing about competition and
enhance efficiency. All such transactions took
place through the provision of Short Term Open
Access (STOA) though CERC has also made
provisions for Medium Term Open Access
(MTOA). The inter-regional energy exchanges,
which included the long-term and short-term
open access transactions, were 26464 MU
during the year 2009-10, as compared to 23405 MU
during the previous year, showing a growth of
13.1%. The inter-regional exchanges helped a
number of States / utilities in all the Regions to
bridge the gap between demand and supply of
power. Details of Inter-regional exchanges of
energy among the Regions during 2008-09 and
2009-10 are given below:
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