Will use hydel power to overcome power shortage in Karnataka: CM Kumaraswamy

In spite of the shortage of coal that is affecting power production in the state, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy asserted that the state will not resort to load-shedding at any cost.

The CM revealed that the gap between demand and supply of electricity in the state is between 200 MW and 400 MW from 5 pm to 10 pm every day.

Reports had earlier suggested that load-shedding would be inevitable in the state.

On Thursday, however, Kumaraswamy was in a defiant mood while briefing reporters at the Vidhana Soudha, after he held a review meeting with power corporations and electricity supply companies.

“There has been no decision on load-shedding. There can be no load-shedding without my signature. We are self-sufficient throughout the day except between 5 pm and 10 pm. During these hours, we cannot rely on solar power so we will be looking at ways to generate electricity with hydel power even though earlier we were planning to conserve water for the dry months next year,” he stated.

There are over 20 hydroelectric projects in Karnataka with a capacity of generating 3652 MW of power.

Kumaraswamy revealed that electricity demand in the state was 8600 MW from 6 am to 9 am in the morning and between 8100 to 10200 MW between 9 am and 5 pm. The demand dropped to 7600 MW from 10 pm to 6 am. Kumaraswamy reiterated that the state had enough electricity supply to cope with the demand in these hours.

Upon repeated questions from journalists about the possibility of load-shedding in Bengaluru and Kalburgi, the CM reiterated that no decision has been taken on load-shedding in any part of the state.

He, however, added that the shortage of electricity supply was mainly in the evening between 5 pm and 10 pm, during which point solar power cannot be generated and the demand is as high as 8600 to 9100 MW. The state is currently facing a deficit of 200-400 MW during these hours.

The development comes a week after Kumaraswamy wrote to Union Minister of Railways, Coal and Corporate Affairs, Piyush Goyal, appealing for supply of coal to the state amid a shortage of coal at the thermal power plants in Raichur and Ballari. In his letter to the Union Minister, the CM pointed out that the Raichur Thermal Power Station (RTPS), which has a capacity of 1720 MW, currently has no stock of coal.

He further refused to criticise the Centre for the shortage in the supply of coal from Western Coalfields Limited (WCL), a unit of Coal India Limited (CIL). The company had supplied 6 lakh MT of coal lesser than the quantity that was agreed upon in the Fuel Supply Agreement (FSA) signed with the state.

Kumaraswamy appealed for patience and told reporters that the Centre has assured the state coal supply.