Delhi May Face Blackouts As Centre Diverts 728 MW Power To Haryana. Details Here

About 46 lakh consumers, or 68% of Delhi’s total electricity users, served by the two BSES discoms will be hit badly, while the rest served by Tata Power may not face any problem. This is because 718 MW capacity of Dadri Stage-II is currently allotted to BSES Yamuna and BSES Rajdhani, while only 10 MW is for Tata Power.

New Delhi: Delhi could see major power outage as the Centre is allotting 728 MW (megawatt) capacity of National Thermal Power Corporation NTPC’s Dadri Stage-II power station to Haryana from April 1. According to Power utilities in Delhi, the ministry’s directive to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) was issued without prior notice and could lead to power cuts in the national capital.

Delhi’s peak power demand on Tuesday was 4,332 MW, and is expected to cross 8,000 MW this summer. Last year, Delhi clocked a peak power demand of 7,323 MW.

“Keeping in view the power surrendered by Delhi in Dadri-II Station of NTPC and the willingness of Government of Haryana, it has been decided to re-allocate surrendered/available share of 728.68 MW to Haryana from Dadri-II Station of NTPC w.e.f. 01.04.2022 to 31.10.2022…CEA is requested to get the allocation implemented under intimation to all concerned with effect from April 1, 2022,” Hindustan Times quoted Raja Ramaswamy, under secretary at power ministry, as saying in a letter to CEA on March 28, 2022.

Who could face power outage in Delhi

About 46 lakh consumers, or 68% of Delhi’s total electricity users, served by the two BSES discoms will be hit badly, while the rest served by Tata Power may not face any problem. This is because 718 MW capacity of Dadri Stage-II is currently allotted to BSES Yamuna and BSES Rajdhani, while only 10 MW is for Tata Power.

Even if capacity was available on the exchanges, going by the current trend, power will cost anywhere between Rs 10 and Rs 15 per unit for BSES discoms against about Rs 5.50 per unit for supply from Dadri Stage-II. The loss of capacity for Tata Power will be insignificant and can be managed easily.

According to reports, BSES had given up Dadri Stage-I capacity in July last year on grounds of costly tariff, which was about Rs 6.50 per unit against Rs 5-5.50 of Dadri Stage-II. BSES did so after winning its case with the Central tariff regulator and the power ministry’s clarification that the Electricity Act allows discoms to exit long-term PPAs (power purchase agreements) after completion of 25 years, considered the working life of a project.