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New Delhi, May 6 - The commitment of the northern states to maintain grid discipline and availability of 1,600MW more electricity from Himachal Pradesh's Naptha Jakhri plant are likely to improve the situation, Power Secretary R.V. Shahi said here Saturday.
'The action taken to maintain grid frequency has started yielding results in May. With 1,600 MW electricity becoming available from Naptha Jakhri in Himachal Pradesh, the situation should improve,' Shahi told reporters after a review meeting with representatives from northern states including Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttaranchal.
The central government has decided to seek any excess power available with captive power producers with the rates having been notified for sale of power to the grid, said Shahi.
'In addition, by May end we should start getting power from Tehri and another 250 MW from Rajasthan wind farm as by then the wind conditions will become favourable,' he said.
Given the acute shortage of power in the northern states with the temperatures soaring over 44 degrees centigrade, the power utilities have been asked to defer their maintenance shutdown to tide over the present crisis.
Shahi clarified that while the deferment is not ideally advisable, it is being done keeping in view the distress of the people and industry, which are facing repeated power cuts.
Despite the additional power supply to the northern power grid, the situation is likely to remain grim for a couple of weeks more, admitted the officers. Another review will be held May 31.
'In the case of Delhi, the additional power availability will bring down the shortfall to 300 MW from 450 MW earlier,' said Delhi Power Secretary Rakesh Mehta.
At the meeting state representatives gave commitment to take steps to reduce wastage of power and reduce peak demand.
While Uttar Pradesh, which has been the main culprit in terms of over withdrawal of power, has notified that all commercial establishments and shops would have to close by 7 p.m., the Delhi government is yet to take similar action after facing a strike threat by the traders, said Mehta.
Appealing to consumers to abide by the new guidelines to reduce the peak demand and overall power consumption, Shahi said people's cooperation would help to tide over the grim situation.
On the issues of over withdrawal beyond the agreed capacity to a state, the official said it would attract penalty of Rs.5.70 per unit.
The proposal is to seek Central Electricity Regulatory Authority's approval 'for a more stiffer rate to discourage over withdrawal', said Shahi.
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