Power generation in February declines due to shortage of gas

MUMBAI: Sharp decline in the power generation across gas and hydro based power plants led to 4.1 per cent decline year on year in the overall power generation, despite addition in the capacities over the last one year. Though the overall generation capacity increased year on year, the plant load factor or capacity utilization fell sharply to 43.7 per cent in February 20 from 51.3 per cent in February 2012 due to unavailability of fuel, especially gas due to declining output from the KG basin.

While the coal-based generation was up by 3.0 per cent year on year, gas based and hydro based generation was down by 45 per cent and 19 per cent year on year respectively. Nuclear-based generation was marginally down by 0.6 per cent.

Amongst the major power utiltiites, NTPC's generation declined by 5.4 per cent year on year, due to 0.9 per cent fall in the coal based generation and 47.4 per cent fall in the gas based generation year on year. Other coal based utilities - Tata Power , Adani and Jindal showed impressive growth in the generation due to huge capacity addition.

For instance, Tata Power showed a growth of 152 per cent in the generation due to commissioning of its fourth 800 MW unit at Mundra, taking its total capacity to 3200 MW. However, gas based utilities such as GMR, Lanco and GVK continued to suffer from shortage in gas.