Standing tall but powerless

Bhubaneswar, May 28: Disruption of power at two thermal units run by the Odisha Power Generation Corporation at Banharpalli in Jharsuguda district has further aggravated the prevailing power shortage in the state.

“Two thermal power units with a capacity of 210MW each have stopped operation because of power disruption in the Budhipadar grid connected to Banharpali power station,” said Dilip Panda, spokesperson for the power generation corporation.

Work is in progress to resume the operation as early as possible.

Odisha has been reeling from a severe power shortfall following drastic fall in almost all the hydropower stations because of low reservoir level.

The state was having a shortfall about 600MW of electricity during peak hour. It was managing with around 2,700MW power available from different source as against peak demand of 3,300MW. Though the hydropower stations have the generation capacity of 1,500MW, the average production of hydropower has come down to below 100MW.

Most of the reservoirs in southern Odisha such as Indravati, Upper Kolab and Machhkund remain half empty.

Moreover, Odisha could not depend much even on the Hirakud, Chiplima and Rengali reservoirs as production in these facilities had been drastically reduced because of the falling water level, said an official.

Odisha was managing with the 950MW central share and 550MW thermal power supplied from independent power producers and captive power plants of various industries and 765MW from thermal plants at Ib and Talcher, said another official.

However, this supply fluctuates from day to day, depending on the availability of power.

The Odisha government is getting supply from the captive power plants set up by the industrial houses in the state.

To fight the power shortage Odisha is going to have three coal-based ultra mega power plants to be set up by the Centre with an investment to the tune of Rs 60,000 crore.