Heavy penalty for power over drawl from April 2
Vinod Kumar Gupta, 12-Mar-2012

Monday March 12, 2012

New Delhi

Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has proposed heavy penalty for overdrawing power when the system frequency goes below 49.7 Hz.

CERC has issued notification for levying of additional Unscheduled Interchange Charge (UI) from April 2 for over-drawl of electricity when the system frequency is below 49.7 Hz instead of present limit of 49.5 Hz. Additional UI charges shall be paid at 20 % of UI charges for frequency below 49.7 Hz and these charges has been increased to 40 % when the system frequency goes down below 49.5 Hz.

CERC has continued the 0.02 Hz step is equivalent to 16.50 Paise/kWh in the 50.2-50.00 Hz frequency range, 28.50 Paise/kWh in 50 Hz to 49.8 Hz and 28.12 Paise/kwh in frequency in the below 49.8 Hz to 49.5 Hz range.

CERC had proposed the narrowing down of the operating grid frequency band from 49.5 -50.2 Hz to 49.7 – 50.2 Hz, step size was proposed to be reduced from 0.02 Hz to 0.01 Hz for the UI vector Most of power utilities had opposed the reduction in step size from 0.02 Hz to 0.01 Hz as this may not be viable at present.

Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) and other utilities had submitted that there is no necessity for hike in UI charges as the grid is running normally in safe zone of frequency. The hike in UI charges shall also increase the rates of electricity in the market from energy exchange and bilateral agreements.

Padamjeet Singh has submitted that the worst performing plant of Auriaya should not be considered as benchmark for specifying Max UI Charge and the implementation of UI amendment should be deferred till 31st March, 2012

Punjab and Haryana will have to restrict themselves the over drawl at low frequency in coming paddy and summer season to avoid heavy charges .These days Haryana is over drawing at Rs. 3 per unit as this is the lean season. During coming summer months the position may become difficult when the system operates on low frequency and Yamuna Nagar thermal unit 2 may not come by that time. The frequent boiler tube failures at Khedar is yet another cause of worry