The all-India energy demand is expected to be higher in March quarter of 2020-21 compared to same period a year ago despite the partial lockdown in some states due to a surge in COVID-19 cases, India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) said.
Ind-Ra has published the March 2021 edition of its credit news digest on the power sector. The report highlights the trends in the power sector, with a focus on capacity addition, generation, transmission, merchant power, deficit, regulatory changes and the recent rating actions by Ind-Ra.
”The all-India energy demand is expected to be higher in 4QFY21 on a year-on-year basis, despite partial lockdowns in some of the states on account of an increase in COVID 19 cases,” it said.
In February 2021, the all-India energy demand increased 0.2 per cent year-on-year to 104.6 billion units.
The energy demand in April-February 2020-21 was lower by 2.8 per cent, the report said.
The short-term power price at Indian Energy Exchange continued its improving trend on a year-on-year basis with the prices breaching Rs 4/unit in March 2021 for the first time since October 2018.
In February 2021, a 19.5 per cent increase (5,124 million units) in the traded volumes was witnessed in the day-ahead market.
The electricity generation increased 0.1 per cent to 101.1 billion units in February 2021, supported by 1.9 per cent year-on-year growth in thermal generation, although hydro generation fell 14.0 per cent.
Electricity generation from renewable sources increased 2.0 per cent to 11.5 billion units in February 2021, with solar generation increasing 12.2 per cent. The renewable generation in April-February period of 2020-21 improved 5.8 per cent to 134.3 billion units.
The improvement in energy demand and the reduced generation from hydro and renewables sources have helped the thermal plant load factor (PLF) increase to 63.3 per cent in February 2021. Last month, the thermal sector’s PLFs rose year-on-year across the central, state and private sectors, to 73.8 per cent, 57.7 per cent and 59.8 per cent, respectively. Despite showing improvement during September-February period, thermal PLF over April-February was lower at 53.4 per cent, mainly impacted by a decline in power demand, given the must-run status of nuclear, hydro and renewables.
Source : PTI
