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• The State energy department made a prudent move when it signed long-term power purchase agreements with sources from outside Karnataka. But little did it expect that it will be in for a rude shock at the very beginning of the year, and that it will be faced with yet another troubled summer. Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (KPTCL) had bid for and locked the purchase of 250 MW from Chhattisgarh for Rs 4.25 per unit (between September 1, 2011 to June 15, 2013) and 430 MW from Himachal Pradesh for Rs 5.80 per unit (between and October 1, 2011 and May 31, 2012). The Himachal Pradesh agreement is for purchase of power for peak hours – between 7 am and 10 am and 7 pm and 10 pm.The department, however, is left feeling cheated -- as the power bid for the months of February and March this year, will not be reaching the State after all. KPTCL Managing Director Ravi Kumar P told Deccan Herald that due to lack of ‘corridor availability,’ power cannot be supplied to Karnataka.

AP, TN given priority

• He said that the corridors were too crowded as the three southern states – Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh - had been aggressively bidding for power purchase from all the external sources.“However, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have turned out to be luckier. Whenever the Centre allocates power to a particular State, it overrides the previous agreements made by the other states with the other sources. Despite Karnataka having an agreement with Chhattisgarh, the Centre has given priority to the two other states, which automatically cuts the flow of energy into our State,” he said.This means that Karnataka is faced with a deficit of 680 MW in February, as it is more than apparent that the power purchased for the month from Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh will not come through.While March might not be as bad as February, the department has resigned itself to receive less than 50 per cent of the power that has been bid.Kumar said that Karnataka could do little about this situation. “This is how the law stands. Yes, it is very skewed and it is badly affecting Karnataka,” he added.

Another ‘raw deal’

• The officer also said that in the last few months the Centre had also not bothered to allocate power to Karnataka from the ‘unallocated share’ from the Central generating stations. Every year, the Centre sets aside 15 per cent of the power generated from the Central stations like NTPC to allocate it to states facing power crisis. “Not one MW of power has been allotted to Karnataka in the last few months while Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh have been accommodated,” he said.According to him, Andhra Pradesh has been allotted 231 MW from October 2011 to March 31, 2012; Kerala has been allotted 135 MW from December 3, 2011 till further orders; and Tamil Nadu has been assured of 735 MW from January 8, 2012 to February 29, 2012. Tamil Nadu has also been allotted 50 MW from December 12 till further orders, from the unallocated share.

Alternatives

• Kumar said that students will not be hit during the exam season, as the department is exploring alternative options. “There is no need to panic as yet. We aren’t too worried about February, but March might pose a problem. Efforts are on to purchase power from within Karnataka,” he added.Another ray of hope is the Bellary Thermal Power Station, which is all set to commission its second unit of 500 MW. “We received the environment clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to lay the 400 kv line in the first week of January. This line will be ready by February 15, and we can start generation from March, provided the Centre allocates us the coal that we have been asking for. If we are not allotted the coal, then this option too will not work out,” he added. In such an event, Karnataka will have to be prepared to go for high cost power purchase, he added.

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