Centre to replace 7.7 GW thermal plants with double-efficient ones
The Dollar Business Bureau In order to create better efficiency, the government has identified old thermal power projects and replace them with efficient ones, resulting in the creation of 18,560 MW of energy-efficient supercritical plants. Old power plants currently total 7,738 MW, and their replacement would help save natural resources, besides doubling the generation capacity of such sites. A senior official from the power ministry was quoted offering an example, he suggested that the 440 MW Haryana Power Generation Corporation in Panipat could be replaced with an 800 MW energy efficient plant. The official said the move towards energy efficiency and less-polluting technology makes more sense than renovation and modernisation and will yield long-term benefits. The move trails a December 2015 guideline from ...
Indias power production up by 6.25% in Apr-Jan FY17
The Dollar Business Bureau Power generation in India from conventional as well as renewable sources surged by 6.25% to 1,038.9 billion units (BUs) in the April-January period of this financial year compared to the same period a year-ago. “The power generation increased by 6.25% at 1038.9 BUs in the April-January period this financial year compared to 977.81 BUs in the corresponding period a year-ago,” according to an official from power ministry.“Focussing mainly on the renewables sources is driving up overall figures of electricity generation,” the official added. The official further stated that the growth in power production, excluding the renewable sources, was 5.04% in the first 10-month period of the fiscal 2016-17. During the given period, power production from renewable sources such as solar and wind grew ...
Jayalalithaa the star of Tamil Nadu fades away
Sheela Mamidenna J. Jayalalithaa, the able and charismatic Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, passed away on December 5 while undergoing treatment at Chennai. Known for her acumen as a keen administrator, shrewd politician and an erudite speaker, Jayalalithaa took on the development of the state of Tamil Nadu on a war footing with an iron hand. She realised early on in her career that people wanted an able administrator who would take care of all their needs and she listened to them. By offering freebies and massive subsidies, Jayalalithaa or 'Amma' as she was fondly called became the darling of her people. Among the most ambitious of her projects was the power generation and supply project. Power generation and supply Tamil Nadu, once power-surplus, literally ...
Govt, ADB sign $48 mn loan to improve Assams power service
The Dollar Business Bureau The Government of India and Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Monday signed a loan of $48 million to help the state of Assam to maintain its drive for improving the access to reliable and efficient power in the national capital. The given loan is the second tranche of multi tranche financing facility of $300 million cleared by the ADB Board for Assam Power Sector Investment Program in July 2014. The Program will help the state to augment the efficiency and capacity of its power distribution system in order to improve electricity supply to end users, said an official statement. The first tranche of $50 million loan was signed in February last year, it added. While signing the agreement on behalf of ...
Essar Power logs profit for first time since 1997
The Dollar Business Bureau Almost two decades after entering the power generation business, Essar Power finally logged profit of Rs 39 crore for FY16. The management is optimistic of continuing healthy business for the latest fiscal and is even expecting Rs 550 cr net income by the end of the financial year 2017, provided that the coal prices and further variables remain stable, revealed Sushil Maroo, Vice-Chairman of Essar power. Against the net loss of Rs 684 crore in FY15, Essar closed at net profit of Rs 39 cr in FY16. Low coal prices, reverse e-auction of coal, other effective measures and average Plant Load Factor of more than 80% gave a push to EBITDA (Earnings before interests, taxes, depreciation and amortization) by 168% ...
States to provide 24X7 power by March 2019
The Dollar Business Bureau All the states have decided to provide round-the-clock power supply to every household by March 2019, Power Minister Piyush Goyal said. He was speaking to the reporters after attending a two-day conference of power and mining ministers of states and union territories in Goa. “All the states have agreed to provide 24x7 power to all the people by March 2019 or earlier,” he said. "Besides, all the states except Left-Wing-Extremist-affected ones, also resolved to electrify all the remaining unelectrified villages by December 31, 2016," he said. During the conference, all the states have agreed to use smart meters, which are communication-enabled and tamper-proof. The smart meters costs have been brought down by 60% Rs 3,223 per unit from Rs ...
Coal price rise to up power generation cost by 10ps
The Dollar Business Bureau The recent hike in coal prices may lead to a rise by 10 paise in the cost of generation for coal-based power plants, revealed ICRA, a domestic credit rating agency. The price hike of coal announced by state-owned Coal India Ltd may result in slight increase in the cost of power purchased by distribution companies, said the agency. As per the estimates of ICRA, the cost of thermal power generation will increase by 9-10paise, said Sabyasachi Majumdar, Senior Vice President of the agency. Provided that about 60% of the total power purchased by discoms is for coal-based power generators, the rise in the cost of power procurement for discoms across India may go up by 6 paise per ...
Adani Power plans to shut down 2,640 MW at its Tiroda plant
The Dollar Business Bureau Due to acute water shortage in Maharashtra, Adani Power has shut down its four units of 660 MW capacity each at the Tiroda plant in Maharashtra. The plant will see a total shutdown of 2,640 MW units at Tiroda. Adani power limited in a statement to BSE said that they have shut down four units out of 5 with a capacity of 660 MW each in the Tiroda plant in Maharashtra due to water shortage. According to the statement, Tiroda Power Plant receives water from the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation’s Dhapewada Project under a long- term agreement. As a result of the drought condition in Maharashtra, the water dam has dried up and it is unable to provide water supply to ...