Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Gujarat’s power demand has reached an unprecedented high, putting the state’s energy infrastructure under mounting pressure and forcing the government to fast-track short-term arrangements and long-term capacity expansion.
At a high-level meeting at his residence recently, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel reviewed the demand-supply situation and directed the Energy Department to expedite measures to ensure uninterrupted electricity for farmers, industries and households, according to a New Indian Express report.
The scale of the challenge is stark. On October 16, Gujarat recorded peak electricity demand of 29,822 MW, up 36.6 per cent from 21,822 MW in October last year.
Daily consumption climbed to 574 million units from 457 million units, marking an increase of nearly 27 per cent. Moreover, demand during September and October has risen by around 4,000 MW, or 12 per cent, compared with previous years.
Several factors have converged to drive the surge. Weak monsoon conditions and the impact of El Niño have kept temperatures elevated, pushing up air-conditioning and cooling loads. Simultaneously, the government’s effort to provide adequate irrigation power to protect standing crops has driven agricultural demand to a daily peak of 12,000 MW. Industrial consumption has also gathered pace ahead of Diwali.
Evening hours pose the biggest challenge. Between 5 pm and 11 pm, solar generation falls to zero after sunset, while wind output remains unpredictable. Consequently, coal- and gas-based plants are being deployed to meet demand, while the State Load Dispatch Centre and distribution companies work round-the-clock to maintain grid stability.
Deficient rainfall
Lower hydropower output, owing to deficient rainfall in Gujarat and neighbouring states, and declining wind generation have further tightened supply. To shore up availability, the state has sought central intervention. The Union Coal Ministry has assured 10-11 railway rakes daily for coal supplies until November, rising to 13-14 rakes thereafter.
Gujarat has also secured 329 MW from NTPC’s Farakka plant for November, 551 MW from Assam’s central power quota on a long-term basis, and a one-year extension of its existing 716 MW supply arrangement from NTPC’s BarhI and Dadri-I plants, now valid until March 2028. Another 500 MW has been sought from the Centre’s unallocated quota.
