’46 GW generation capacity lacks last mile connectivity’

NEW DELHI, Mar 28:  Around 46,000 MW power generation capacity is stranded as states have not built sufficient infrastructure to evacuate electricity from these plants, a senior official has said.
“The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) on Tuesday said that 46,000 MW of power capacity is stranded as of now on account of poor last mile connectivity largely on distribution side as states have not built sufficient infrastructure to take this idle power to the end consumer, according to its Member (Planning), Pankaj Batra,” industry body PHDCCI said in a statement.
Speaking at a conference on ‘Smart Grids, Automation and Solar Storage’ organised here by PHDCCI today Batra explained that of this (46GW), 30,000 MW is thermal generated whereas the remaining 16,000 MW is gas fed.
According to the statement, he explained that largely states and some of the UTs are entirely responsible for under utilisation of this capacity for which adequate last mile connectivity should have been built by them so that this idle capacity could have been utilised to lighten the rural landscape of the country.
The conference was presided over by Shalini Prasad, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Power.
Inaugurating the conference, Prasad said though India has a National Smart Grid Mission in place, the work on it is progressing slowly as different stakeholders in the power sector have diverse views and opinions on smart grids and the policy formation on this front would take place in due course of time, the statement added.
Anil Khaitan from PHDCCI pointed out that although the reforms in power sector are progressing but the open access system which has been in vogue for quite some time would yield desired results provided states do not burden its consumers with additional charges, surcharges and even levies to make its tariffs profound and inconvenient. (PTI)

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