Plant load of thermal units dip to record low due to lockdown

The decline in thermal power generation is in line with the significant fall in theconsumption of electricity in the country, especially by commercial andindustrial units that are the major consumers who pay a higher tariff, since the lockdown was imposed in the last week of March.“Thermal power generation picked up in May and June when compared to April, which can be attributed to the easing of lockdown and the improvement in demand. Nevertheless, generation from conventional sources like thermal, hydro and nuclear sources was lower compared to renewable energy generation,” said a senior Tangedco official.

At 24,862 million units, energy demand in April-June was 17 percent lower year-on-year (y-o-y). Similarly, the peak power demand of 14,591 MWduring these three months was seven per cent lower y-o-y. Energy demand rose by 22 per cent in May (8,831 million units) from the lows of April (7,233 millionunits) with the easing of the lockdown restrictions and the rise intemperature, but the enforcement of the complete lockdown in Chennai and few other districts led to a marginal fall in the demand in June to 8,798 MU.

It,however, was lower than the pre-lockdown (around two per cent compared toFebruary) and the demand recorded last year (15 per cent lower than May).

A senior Tangedco official said that due to the fall in power demand, its thermal power plants with a combined capacity of 4,320 MW was put to lesser use and it resulted in the lower PLF. “Since the thermal power cost consists of the fixed and variable cost, we have to pay the fixed cost even if we did not buy power from the private companies,” the official said.