Centre to set up panels to monitor power distribution

By Our Staff Reporter

CUDDALORE, SEPT. 2. The Union Ministry of Power has planned to constitute District Energy Committees to monitor effective power distribution.

Addressing presspersons in Neyveli today, the Union Minister of State for Power, Mrs. Jaivanti Mehta, said there was a heavy transmission and distribution loss, power theft and unmetered supply. ``Power theft alone accounts for an annual loss of Rs. 20,000 crores.''

She regretted that the ``poor financial health'' of the State Electricity Boards was the outcome of the widening gap between the cost of power generation and revenue realised. Against the national average generation cost of 304 paise a unit, the realisation was 212 paise leaving a gap of 92 paise.

The committees would comprise MPs, MLAs, Collectors, local body representatives as members, she said.

The Minister said the SEBs with an annual loss of Rs. 26,000 crores found it difficult to pay off the Central Public Sector Utilities (CPSUs) to the tune of Rs. 40,000 crores every year. ``The Ministry has drafted a plan to write off the surcharge if the SEBs come forward to make a one-time payment of dues to the CPSUs.''

One lakh mw additional power by 2012

The Minister said the Centre had planned to generate an additional one lakh mw of power by 2012 based on the 16th Electric Power Survey. While the CPSUs would add 46,500 MW, the SEBs contribution would be 41,800 MW. The nuclear power generation would be 6,400 MW while the non- conventional energy resources would account for 10,700 MW.

Mrs. Mehta was confident that the Enron issue would not distract the foreign investors. The Centre, if necessary, would assist the Maharashtra Government in resolving the crisis. The Centre would persuade the neighbouring States to purchase power from Maharashtra.

On the need for exploiting the hydel power energy, she said the Ministry had advised the SEBs to set up mini hydel projects. On rural electrification, she said the Centre laid emphasis on non- conventional energy. For remote islands and hilly areas, non- conventional energy was a better alternative. About 80,000 villages were yet to be electrified.

The Minister said in the last financial year, energy shortage was 39,816 million units accounting for 7.8 per cent of the demand and peak shortage was 10,157 MW accounting for 13 per cent of peak demand. She regretted that India's hydel power generation was just 17 per cent of the available potential. Further, there had been a steep fall in hydel power generation over the last 25 years. ``As against the desirable hydro share of 40 per cent, it is only 25 per cent in India.''

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Section  : Southern States
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