Hyderabad: An internal study shows that during 2013 actual power demand varied greatly from the projections by all the four distribution companies in undivided Andhra Pradesh. This miscalculation was stated to be the reason for the ensuing power shortage. The discoms ended up drawing far more than their scheduled withdrawal of banked energy.
An analysis of the report by the AP Electricity Regulatory Commission has underlined serious issues alongwith forecasting capabilities of the discoms.
In the case of northern and southern discoms, the maximum deviations have been indicated at 100 per cent, in some other months it was 64 per cent.
The Central Discom, now known as the TSPDCL, was the better performing unit though it also recorded deviations of 65 per cent and above. The miscalculations resulted in an energy deficit. It was also dangerous for the grid and the the equipment. Now, even after the division of the discoms, it is feared that the miscalculations are continuing,
As per the analysis, “There are instances when variations in a block are equal to or greater than the variation capacity available. Ideally, the IPP (Independent Power Producers) which are gas-fired units must take up these must take up these ramp up and ramp down instructions. However, they have limits set according to their PPAs.
Therefore, the repeated ramp up and down responsibility falls on the erstwhile APGenco thermal stations and this is detrimental to the life of the equipment.
