Madhya Pradesh becomes a surplus state in power sector

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], January 3 : Madhya Pradesh has emerged as a surplus state in the power sector.
According to a release by the state government, Madhya Pradesh has become fully self-sufficient in the field of electricity. Currently, the available power capacity of the state is 22,730 megawatt. Electricity is being supplied 24 hours to all the non-agricultural consumers, including industrial, commercial and to agricultural consumers for about 10 hours in the state.
Recently, in the current Rabi season on December 30, 2022, the maximum power demand of 17065 megawatt was successfully met, which is the highest in the history of the state.
Smooth utilisation of new and renewable energy sources has been ensured by completing the construction work of 12 ultra-high pressure sub-stations and 46 ultra-high pressure lines in the Green Energy Corridor, as part of the Roadmap-2023 for a 'self-reliant Madhya Pradesh'.
In the first phase, in-house testing laboratories have been set up at Jabalpur, Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain and Gwalior to improve the quality of transformers, metres, cables etc. used in distribution infrastructure. In the second phase, the process of setting up laboratories in Satna, Chhindwara, Sagar Guna and Barwaha has been started. The latest drone technology is being used for top patrolling of transmission lines of the state, which will save human resources and the work of maintenance of lines will be quick and accurate.
Further, according to the release, in the financial year 2019-20, the tripping in the units of the generating company's thermal powerhouses was very high, due to which the generation rate was high due to an increase in oil consumption. By reviewing it monthly, the number of tripping has been reduced by 25 per cent in the last two years.
Apart from this, due to the continuous review of the quality of coal, a decrease of 0.65 percent has been reflected in the heat rate in the last two years. Due to this, a saving of Rs 75 crore has been possible in the last two years, the release stated, adding that the state has not purchased expensive foreign coal in thermal power projects so that there is no increase in electricity rates.
Besides, feedback is being taken on the actual power supply situation through discussions with 10 consumers every day at all distribution centres of the state. So far, 25,94,404 consumers have been involved in such interactions and the percentage of their satisfaction is 98 per cent.
A new power generation unit of 660 megawatt capacity is proposed to be built by Madhya Pradesh Power Generating Company at Amarkantak Thermal Power Station at a cost of Rs 4,666 crore. As part of the 'Smart Meter' scheme, about 23 lakh smart meters are proposed to be installed by the three distribution companies in the first phase.
Further, according to the release, under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme of the Union Ministry of Power, the works of the three distribution companies of the state have been approved at a total cost of Rs 24,170 crore. The plan includes prepaid smart metering and system metering, works proposed for reduction of distribution losses and system strengthening and modernisation.