Peak deficit, energy shortage zoom in April '10

With the rising mercury column, the demand-availability gap in power supply has also started widening in most parts of the country. Peak deficit and energy shortage-- the key parameters that indicate how well the generation stations are able to cope with the stresses of high demand-- recorded significant upsurge during the month of April 2010. The deficit increased from 13.3%, in March 2010, to 15.1%, during the fourth month of the calendar year. Similarly, energy shortage increased to 14.6% for the same period, from the 11.7% registered a month earlier.

As per the `Monthly Power Supply Report`, released by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), the northern region of the country experienced the highest peak deficit, of 19.3%, or 6,728 MW, followed by the western region, with a registered shortage of 18.8%, or 7,418 MW and the northeastern region with 13.9%, or approximately 219 MW shortfall. Meanwhile, the eastern and southern regions faced supply deficits of 13.6% and 6.5%, respectively.

During the month, against a total peak demand of 1,21,220 MW, only 1,02,894 MW of power was actually available in the country, resulting in a deficit of 18,326 MW. In comparison, the corresponding deficit for March 2010 was 15,748 MW, against a demand for 1,18,472 MW.