PANJIM: Left at the mercy of Central allocation to meet the State’s power requirement in absence of its own power generating plant, the Goa government is expected to spend Rs 4090 crore on purchase of 12,300 million units (MU) of electricity for the coastal State over the next three years. The State power requirement is going to witness a rise of 8.10 per cent by 2018-19.
As per data available with the Electricity Department (ED), the State will pay Rs 4090.91 crore on power purchase for next three years, which include Rs 1246.44 crore in 2016-17 for purchase of 3961 MU of power, Rs 1359.26 crore on 4117 MU of power in 2017-18 and Rs 1485.21 crore on purchase of 4282 MU of electricity in 2018-19.
However, the department has projected the power requirement of the State at 12,019 MU during these periods, which is on the lower side compared to the power purchase. The move is basically to ensure 100 per cent 24×7 power supply to its consumers. By 2018-19, the consumers are expected to rise to 6.20 lakh from 5.97 lakh in the current year.
NTPC Limited – the Central generation power station – is the largest supplier of power to Goa, which consist of seven power plants. The projected power sale from this station to Goa is estimated at 10,829 MU by 2018-19 at a cost of Rs 2933.87 crore.
The seven power plants here include Korba, Vindhyachal, Kawas Gas Power Station, Gandhar Gas Power Station, Sipat Super Thermal Power Station, Ramagundam Super Thermal Power Station and Mauda Super Thermal Power Station.
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) – the central station – is the second highest power supplier to Goa. Approximately 609 MU of power – 203 MU per year – would be purchased in three years, at a cost of Rs 179.85 crore.
The State is also set to purchase 163 MU of power from the open market by spending around Rs 54.64 crore.
Pitching in for renewable power, Goa will purchase almost 226 MU of electricity through renewable sources at a cost of Rs 226 crore in three years. For 2018-19, the State has also estimated purchase of 25 MU of power through hydro power.
Apart from this, the State will also purchase electricity from co-generating units – Goa Energy Private Limited, Goa Sponge and Power Limited and Sesa Goa. The total power sale would be around 501 MU at cost of Rs 120.78 crore.
