GUWAHATI, Oct 20 - The Assam Power Distribution Company Ltd (APDCL) has stated that it has been forced by circumstances either to shed or to procure at higher cost 20 per cent of the power demand of the State. The purchase implies an additional cost of Rs 2 crore per day.
The State-run power utility maintains that till some firm arrangements are made to ensure reliable power supply, it may resort to �compelled shedding at some peak load hours, because of the volatile nature of the open power market.
The present situation is the outcome of the October 7, 2019 incident of penstock (pipeline) burst in the NEEPCO Kopili Power Project and the October 12, 2019 incident of tripping of one unit of the ONGC Tripura Power Company (OTPC) Ltd with serious technical snags. Both these power stations will require at least six months to get their equipment restored.
Again, the APDCL said, to make the matter worse, one unit of the NTPC Bongaigaon Thermal Power Project also tripped On October 15, 2019. This power station has allocated 127 MW of power to the State.
The APDCL is making all earnest efforts to ensure reliable power supply like arranging power from the open market on daily basis even at higher costs, arranging power from other NTPC stations with surplus power through the Union Ministry of Power and floating of bid in DEEP portal etc., for periodical procurements.
