Date:23/10/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/10/23/stories/2006102317300400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

CPRI may be converted into a corporation

Special Correspondent

The proposal will be placed before the Union Cabinet soon

Bangalore: There is a proposal to convert the Central Power Research Institute (CPRI) into a corporation under the Companies Act, putting it on a par with other power sector giants such as National Thermal Power Corporation and the Power Grid Corporation, Arvind Jadhav, Joint Secretary (Distribution), Ministry of Power, has said.

Inaugurating a "Power capacitor laboratory" at CPRI here recently, Mr. Jadhav said the proposal would be soon placed before the Union Cabinet. Research institutes had to be run like companies, more so in the power sector, when the challenges were many. Rural electrification plan across the country required Rs. 25,000 crore investment, while the Accelerated Power Reforms Development Programme needed Rs. 20,000 crore. There was tremendous scope for installation of capacitors to bring down losses.

Stating that irrigation pump sets in the country consumed about 40 per cent of the electricity distributed, Mr. Jadhav urged the CPRI to play a promotional role to ensure that pump-set manufacturers installed capacitors. The CPRI should seek the help of the Indian Electronics and Electrical Manufacturers Association (IEEMA) in this direction, he said.

President of the IEEMA D.J. Ramesh said while the installed capacity of power was 1,30,000 MW, the availability had been around 82,000 MW.

The demand hovered around 93,000 MW. This called for adoption of improved technology to ensure maximum utilisation of the capacity available.

The 11th Five Year Plan had put additional generation of power at 60,000 MW, he said.

The industry, which had been growing at 30 per cent, had to put in lot more to meet the demand.

The concern in the sector had been that of testing of power equipment as per international standards.

The CPRI, he said, had to modernise its facilities and expand its horizons. Director General of CPRI A.K. Tripathy said testing was a sensitive area and the country needed more laboratories. Additional Director of CPRI P.K. Kognulkar said the new laboratory could cater to the requirements of testing of all types of capacitors manufactured in the country.