A solution could be a smart grid to effectively manage the demand supply mechanism
Blaming the existing deficit supply-demand mechanism in the power sector for the current power crisis, Former Power Minister Suresh Prabhu, said that nuclear power cannot be a solution for the existing power crisis in the country.
“The major concern today is the unavailability of fuel, like coal, in the country. With nuclear power we will still have to depend upon imported uranium for fuel,” says Prabhu. “The 50,000 MW that we will be able to generate will just be 10% of the total supply,” he said while participating in the panel discussion on ‘Creating Solution for the Power Crisis in India’ at IMC.
As part of the solution Prabhu suggests that India should look at the concept of a smart grid which can effectively manage the demand supply mechanism in the country by which crisis like July 30 grid failure can be avoided.
India today has five grids, Northern, North-eastern, Eastern, Southern and Western. Out of which under the National Grid Programme, the four grids to date have been integrated except the Southern one. By 2014 entire country will have one grid system.
The generation and distribution of power are another major area of concern explained Prabhu. “Generation and distribution should be decentralized,” says Prabhu. “Government should felicitate the distribution of excess power generated by the Eastern Grid to the rest of the country. Dedicated freight corridors and port should be developed for the same,” he says.
According to a data, 40% of Indian people don’t have access to power with electricity consumption per capita is around 850 KW.
“The government should run a Programme to cut the losses by making distribution centers profitable by which around Rs 60,000 crore cash flow can start flowing in the governments kitty,” explains Prabhu.
The supply of coal and gas has become is a major concern area which needs to be dealt with immediately, emphasized Prabhu. “Policy paralysis sort of delayed most of the approvals which were required for that coal to be made available and there has been a lot of positive movement in that aspect,” he continued.
“Currently, we are generating only 60% of the total capacity of the existing power plants, I hope the governments make the decision with fuel supply fast,” he added.
Prabhu also pointed out that country needs to have a central regulatory body to decide the tariff and recovery of bill money. He also felt that more renewable energy should be incorporated in the grid.