The nationwide lockdown has impacted electricity generation at the NTPC’s plant at Kudgi in Vijayapura district, which is NTPC’s only thermal plant in Karnataka. The Kudgi thermal power plant has three generating units, with a capacity of 800 MW each, and there has been a drastic slump in the power generation owing to a reduction in demand.
According to the officials of NTPC-Kudgi, the plant generated only 212 million units (MU) of power since April, compared to the 1,353.423 MUs for the corresponding period in 2019.
“This is the least power generated so far at the NTPC-Kudgi plant after its operations reached full capacity in September 2018,” said the official.
“The huge quantity of electricity is mainly required by industries, corporate houses, public sector/service providing companies. These major electricity consumers remained shut and there is literally no demand for power,” the official said.
It may be noted that as per an understanding between the NTPC and the State government, of the total electricity generated 50% is reserved for Karnataka as it has given the land.
The remaining power is distributed to Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Kerala.
Informing about the coal requirement for the plant, the official said that for producing 2,400 MW of power, the plant needs nine rakes of coal daily. He said that the situation may continue for a few more months.
