CHENNAI: Wind power season has come to an end this year. In the last few days the wind power generation has gone down below 500MW while the total power demand has crossed 13,000 MW. Compared to the last wind power season, Tangedco has evacuated not less than 20% more and in terms of million units, 1477.062 million units more till end of August.
With better transmission lines and sub-stations, Tangedco was able to evacuate more wind power compared to any other year and also sell more units of renewable power to other states.
“This year till August end we have evacuated wind power to the extent of 9,132.473 million units whereas in 2016 wind season, till August we had evacuated 7,655.411 million units. In fact till the end of October 2016, we had evacuated a total of 10,924.338 million units but this year we have already crossed 9,000 million units,” a senior Tangedco official told TOI.
The intra-day maximum of wind power evacuation happened on July 11 when the discom used 5,079MW. “On that day at 7pm we evacuated 5,079MW of wind power, a new record wind power evacuation for Tamil Nadu and the country. At no other time, wind power to this extent has been evacuated so far in any state. The wind power at the new record was available for more than 2 hours after which the evacuation came down,” said the official. It is also this year, the discom has sold the maximum number of MW to other states through the electricity exchange.
The discom has also started paying the wind power companies for purchasing power from them within two months compared to 6 months or 1 year in the earlier years. “Till the last wind power season we used to have arrears for several years. But slowly we cleared all arrears and this year we only have to pay the wind power companies for the current season,” said the official.
The other advantage for the discom to use wind power is the cost of purchase. “While private thermal power costs not less than Rs 5 per unit, wind power is available at a base price of Rs 3 per unit to Rs 4. This year through tenders we have fixed the wind power price at Rs 3.42 per unit and the wind power companies have withdrawn the case filed against the tariff,” said the official.
In the coming days, Tangedco will be giving its nod for wind power companies to start their projects. A total of 500MW of wind mills are to be set up in this financial year.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes
