UPCL shutdown effect likely to be felt from Monday

Mangalore, 28 Jan 2013 (TOI): The effects of shutting down of Udupi Power Corporation’s 1200 MW thermal power plant at Nandikoor on Friday may not have been felt in the past three days due to a string of holidays. But come Monday, consumers, especially industrial, will feel the heat during peak hours.

 

The thermal plant, which was working at 10% of its installed capacity since the shut down on Friday, supplies 8% of its generated power to Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (Mescom).

 

"The shutting down of UPCL will cause a lot of problems to Mescom consumers,’’ said Mescom managing director S Sumanth.

 

"The effects will be felt in the morning and evening peak hours. The peak megawatt required by Mescom without load shedding is 650 MW. Now we get 595 mw,’’ he said.

 

But Mescom is drawing out contingency plans to mitigate the situation. "I’m approaching industries requesting them not to work in peak hours. They can use power for security and water supply. It will affect us a lot revenue wise, but still I’m requesting,’’ he added.

 

For example, Mescom has requested the Mysore Paper Mills to use only one MW instead of the required 18 MW during peak hours. Sumanth hopes that the crisis will be over by Monday for Mescom and other ESCOMs if UPCL operates at least one of its 600 MW unit.

 

Mescom plans to spare domestic consumers the hardship by this move. Mescom headquartered at Mangalore is vested with the responsibility of distribution of power to the districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Shimoga and Chikmagalur.

 

Mescom has 18.84 lakh consumers of which domestic consumers account for 12.49 lakh. Its revenue collection for the year 2010-2011 was Rs 1,38,266 lakh and Rs 1,54,865 lakh during 2011-2012.