Other States - Uttar Pradesh   

Power scenario still grim

800-MW Dadri unit of NTPC stops production due to technical snag The karamchari samiti to launch a 72-hour `satyagraha' from September 13 to protest the transfers

LUCKNOW: The already fragile power scenario in Uttar Pradesh suffered yet another blow on Sunday when the 800-MW Dadri unit of NTPC stopped production, lowering the Northern Grid frequency much to the disadvantage of power supply in the State.

With thermal power generation, the main source of power in the State, not getting any better, the authorities continued with power cuts in the entire urban and rural areas in order to save the grid from collapse, U.P. Power Corporation Limited sources said.

The 800-MW NTPC Dadri unit had a technical closure on Sunday morning affecting central sector to a great deal. This in turn, bore an adverse impact on the overall availability of power in the State.

The grim power situation was unlikely to improve till Monday when the 500-MW unit at Anpara is restored, U.P. Power Corporation Limited, General Manager (Systems) Ashok Kumar told UNI here.

Anpara unit restored

Although the 210-MW Anpara unit was restored on Sunday morning, the overall scenario was ``still grave'', a source said.

The two units were out of production since last many days.

The thermal power generation in U.P. was dismally low around 1600-1700 MW since units at Anpara, Obra, Paricha and Harduaganj were functioning much below their installed capacity.

Peak-hour demand

The contribution of 160-MW of hydro- power is hardly of any help. Against the peak-hour demand touching 7000 MW, there exists a huge gap between demand and supply.

Overall, the Obra power station has generation of about 600 MW, Anpara 1000 MW and Panki 150 MW. The hydro-power capacity of about 500 MW is also not fully exploited as the generation in Pipri, Obra Hydel and Khara dipping and about 30 MW Matatila project not generating at all.

Citizens in Bareilly, Allahabad, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Unnao, Hardoi, Sitapur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Mathura and Jaunpur were a harassed lot owing to erratic power supply in these districts.

Power employees shifted

Committed to privatisation of power sector, the Uttar Pradesh Government has now shunted to far- flung areas, majority of trade union leaders opposed to the change.

The Vidyut Karamchari Sangharsh Samiti (VKSS) has announced to launch a 72-hour `satyagraha' from September 13 to protest the transfer of nearly 90 per cent of power employees.

In September alone about 350 executive engineers, 100 deputy general managers and over 20 general managers of the UPPCL and distribution companies were transferred by a committee set up by the Supreme Court. The recommendation in this regard had been made to the committee by the Power Department.

Sangharsh Samiti convenor Shailendra Dubey said on Sunday that transfers of the leaders were done in violation of norms, to crush those who had opposed the privatisation move.

``Employees have taken these transfers very seriously and they will not allow the UPPCL to act arbitrarily,'' he said.

Mr Dubey, who has been transferred to Hapur, said the battle against power privatisation would continue even if the Government initiated `draconian steps' against the union leaders.

`Transfers as per norm'

Though the UPPCL officials maintained that all the transfers had been made as per the norms for sprucing up the power set up in the State, the union leaders stressed that the move was only aimed to crush those who had opposed the privatisation move.

Meanwhile, the UP Power Corporation Limited will start the bidding process for the mega 1000 MW Anpara C power project within next 45 days after the state power regularity commission approves the Request for Proposal (RFP) by the end of this month.

In another development, the Government is all set to give second distribution licence to Reliance Energy Limited (REL) in Meerut, Ghaziabad and Noida as per the Electricity Act 2003.

UNI

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