North's gain may leave West groping in the dark
North India’s gain could turn out to be a substantial loss for Maharashtra and other states in the western zone in the national power equation.
By Girish Kuber, TNN |
MUMBAI: North India’s gain could turn out to be a substantial loss for Maharashtra and other states in the western zone in the national power equation. Last week’s synchronisation of the high-voltage line between Muzaffarpur in Bihar (Eastern Grid) and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh (Northern Grid) has thrown the western zone’s power mechanism in disarray.
It has scooped out around 1,000 MW from the state’s network, and affected the grid’s frequency making it vulnerable to even marginal fluctuations. Power-starved northern states, mainly Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Uttaranchal earlier had no direct access to additional power in the eastern states of the country.
Surplus power available in these states was available to Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Goa and Chhattisgarh. This barrier was removed last week when the Power Grid Corporation activated a 400 KV double circuit transmission line connecting the northern grid to eastern region.
“Since then entire western zone network has become fragile,” a senior official from the central electricity authority told ET. With the linking of Uttar Pradesh to Bihar through high-capacity line, the overall availability of electricity in northern grid shot up from the earlier 24,000 MW to 60,000 MW. “This means they can draw as much power as they want from the grid depriving the west,” he said.
The northern states have free access to electricity available in the grid and this endangers the stability of the west. When contacted a senior official from Mahavitaran, the utility for power distribution in Maharashtra said “We were not taken into confidence when Power Grid constructed the high-tension line. We were merely informed.”
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It is not merely the loss of 1,000 MW but the frequency that is causing concern. Electric current has to be flown at a frequency of 50 hertz. A small drop in frequency below 49 Hz trips the grid. In the past incidents of grid collapse has been reported after a state drew excess power. “The grid has started fluctuations between 49 Hz to 50 Hz, from the day the new line was synchronised,” a state energy official said.The state government has decided to take up the issue with the Centre on Friday when PM Manmohan Singh arrives in Solapur, to launch the “Western Region System Strengthening Scheme”. This was indicated by the state energy minister Dilip Valse Patil who will attend the function with state officials.
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