Tepid power consumption in Chhattisgarh despite soaring temperature

The demand for power in Chhattisgarh is not rising in sync with the temperature in the state, which has reached about 40 degress in the capital, Raipur. Instead there has been a decline in electricity offtake in the state

Air-conditioners and coolers in major cities in the state were indeed switched on to beat the heat during the first week of April.

However, the state-owned Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company (CSPDC) is in a fix, because power consumption is down to almost 1,000 Mw in what the company considers as peak season.

“Normally the demand increases to 4,500-Mw in April, but this year it is only 3,500 Mw,” CSPDC officials said. A plausible explanation offered was that consumption has been lower this season due to the Covid-19 lockdown, which has forced shut industrial units and commercial establishments, which are large consumers.

 The industrial sector only consumed about 40 per cent of the total demand. Following the decrease in offtake, the Chhattisgarh State Power Feneration Company had curtailed production at its units.

While the generating company has been able to cut production costs the distribution company would have to take a loss of about Rs 500 crore, the officials said. It has already beem reeling under a crisis as the state government had subsidised power for consumer by halving electricity tariff.

The lockdown didn't make matters any better. This is because steel makers and small industrial units in the sate had come out with a fresh demand to revive their sectors. They had urged the state government to reduce power tariff for the industrial sector, which is a major customer of the power distribution company in the state.