Mumbai to bank on high capacity generators
The state government has decided to raise the limit of captive generator set capacity to 200KV from the current 10KV.
By TNN |
MUMBAI: Industries and businesses can now install high capacity generator sets in Maharashtra. The state government has decided to raise the limit of captive generator set capacity to 200KV from the current 10KV.
The decision was taken at a meeting state energy minister Dilip Valse Patil had with the Small Scale Industries Association, Thane. “We have decided to relax the limit considering the power deficit,” Mr Patil said after the meeting.
ET had reported on September 9 about the plight of the state’s industries’ in the face of an acute power shortage and restrictions on the use of captive generator sets.
Till now the state was sticking to 1956 rules that had set a cap of 10KV on generators to be installed for private use. Anybody wanting an increase in capacity needed the government’s permission and periodic licence from the state’s PWD ministry.
Various industry and business bodies had pointed out time and again the need to change the 50-year-old, outdated rule. “It was framed to safeguard the interests of the state utility, MSEB. It was a monopoly then. Now the situation has changed completely. MSEB singularly can’t cater to the demand even if it wishes to,” an energy minister official explained. With the state’s deficit mounting every passing day, it was wise for the government to let industries set up their own generator sets, a section of the officials feel.
Union energy minister Sushilkumar Shinde had recently talked about the need to change the archaic rules. The state power regulator, MERC, too had supported the move; it wanted the capacity limit for generators for private use to be raised to 100KV.
The government, however, went a step further and raised the limit to 200KV as demanded by the industry. The government has made it clear that all security norms should be followed while installing big generator sets. “The use of large capacity generator sets shouldn’t threaten the safety of the user or others,” Mr Patil said.
The decision was taken at a meeting state energy minister Dilip Valse Patil had with the Small Scale Industries Association, Thane. “We have decided to relax the limit considering the power deficit,” Mr Patil said after the meeting.
ET had reported on September 9 about the plight of the state’s industries’ in the face of an acute power shortage and restrictions on the use of captive generator sets.
Till now the state was sticking to 1956 rules that had set a cap of 10KV on generators to be installed for private use. Anybody wanting an increase in capacity needed the government’s permission and periodic licence from the state’s PWD ministry.
Various industry and business bodies had pointed out time and again the need to change the 50-year-old, outdated rule. “It was framed to safeguard the interests of the state utility, MSEB. It was a monopoly then. Now the situation has changed completely. MSEB singularly can’t cater to the demand even if it wishes to,” an energy minister official explained. With the state’s deficit mounting every passing day, it was wise for the government to let industries set up their own generator sets, a section of the officials feel.
Union energy minister Sushilkumar Shinde had recently talked about the need to change the archaic rules. The state power regulator, MERC, too had supported the move; it wanted the capacity limit for generators for private use to be raised to 100KV.
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The government, however, went a step further and raised the limit to 200KV as demanded by the industry. The government has made it clear that all security norms should be followed while installing big generator sets. “The use of large capacity generator sets shouldn’t threaten the safety of the user or others,” Mr Patil said.
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