Gondia, For the last one fortnight, except Mumbai, Mahavitaran is supplying 24000 to 24500 MW of electricity according to the demand, but due to the increase in heat, the demand is likely to reach 25 thousand MW. Due to which the department has appealed to all the consumers of domestic, commercial, agricultural, industrial and other categories to minimize the use of electricity especially from 6 am to 10 am and 6 pm to 10 pm so that the demand and availability to be balanced.
Due to the unprecedented demand for electricity, the purchase of electricity has also increased. Electricity is mainly obtained by Mahavitaran from various coal based power generation companies. Mahanirdi, NTPC, NPCIL and Adani Power, Ratan India, JSW etc. have signed agreements to purchase a total of 21,269 MW of power, but due to shortage of coal and other reasons, only 15,550 MW of power is being available at present.
The special thing in this is that currently 3500 to 4000 MW of electricity is being provided by solar energy and other non-conventional energy sources. However, to avoid load shedding due to increasing demand for electricity and reduction in available power, Mahavitaran currently has to buy about 2000 MW of power from the open market. At the same time, due to the massive increase in the demand for electricity in other states, the electricity rates have also increased.
Mahavitaran is facing huge financial difficulties due to increase in arrears of electricity bills for the last two years. Although the recovery of electricity bills has started but there is no adequate response from the defaulters. Due to good rains last year, the demand for electricity by the farmers has increased at this time. At the same time, due to the scorching heat, the power consumption of other consumers has also increased. Against this background, Mahavitaran is having to work hard in synergizing power purchases and finances.
The demand for electricity is increasing continuously across the country, due to which excessive use of coal and possible shortage of coal, as well as limiting the water use of Koyna, will have to use conventional power-generated alternatives till next June. To maintain a balance between demand and availability of electricity, and during peak demand, there should be no problem in load management. For this, domestic, commercial, agricultural, industrial and all other consumers will have to use electricity with limited and restraint. Particularly from 6 to 10 in the morning and from 6 to 10 in the evening, an appeal has been made by Mahavitaran to use at least electricity so that load shedding can be avoided.