Indian power generation from conventional sources have witnessed a significant drop of 12% on the month in Nov’18, thus providing a much needed relief to the thermal power plants who were enduring difficult times amid depleting coal stocks.
As per the tentative data provided by Power Ministry, total power generation was recorded at 99.888 BU in Nov’18 against 113.51 BU in Oct’18. The demand for power has certainly been bought down with the commencement of winter season; however, output in Nov’18 was still 5% higher on the year from 95.483 BU in Nov’17.
Power generation from conventional sources include thermal plants (coal, gas and diesel based), hydro plants, nuclear plants and electricity imported from Bhutan.
A source-wise break-up indicates that thermal plants had produced 88.222 BU in Nov’18, down 10% M-o-M from 97.586 BU in Oct’18.
| Source | Generation in Nov’18 | Generation in Nov’17 | Generation in Oct’18 | Y-o-Y | M-o-M |
| Thermal | 88.222 | 84.309 | 97.586 | 5% | -10% |
| Hydro* | 8.369 | 7.364 | 12.41 | 14% | -33% |
| Nuclear | 3.113 | 3.610 | 3.15 | -14% | -1% |
| Bhutan Imports | 0.183 | 0.200 | 0.36 | -9% | -49% |
| Total | 99.888 | 95.483 | 113.51 | 5% | -12% |
Source: Power Ministry
Quantity in BU
*excludes generation from Hydro stations upto 25 MW
A frantic rise in power demand had seen thermal plants burn more coal in Oct’18, consequently depleting the stock levels available to them. However, with a drop in electricity requirement, stocks have improved accordingly.
As per the data provided by CEA, coal stock at power plants (having coal linkages) was 13.623 MnT as on 4 Dec’18, increasing 33% from 10.238 MnT recorded a month ago. Besides, the number of plants facing critical stock levels have been reduced from 30 to 21.
Hydro power plants had also played their part in relieving the load on thermal power generation, by producing excess power of their monthly target of Nov’18 which was also higher on the yearly basis.
Power output from hydro sources was 8.369 BU in Nov’18 against target of 7.846 BU, also noting a significant increase of 14% on the year from 7.364 BU in Nov’17.
Nuclear power output and electricity imported from Bhutan, had fallen on the monthly and yearly basis, to 3.113 BU and 0.183 BU respectively in Nov’18.
Abide by the rising power demand in the country; conventional power generation has reached 849.202 BU during Apr’18-Oct’18, even fetching higher total than its target of 847 BU set for the period.
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