Port Blair, April 8: The Principal Secretary (Power) A&N Administration today in a press note issued said that the Electricity Department has tried to minimize the impact of this shortage due to shutting down of another 10 MW capacity DG sets by M/s Suryachakra Power Corporation Pvt. Ltd. Bambooflat as they could not undertake timely overhauling of their DG Sets.
Consequently, Board examinations have been completed without a single minute of power cut, for which the department has expressed its gratitude to the general public for their cooperation and for economizing their electricity consumption during February - March, 2013. It was further informed that a 5 MW Solar Power Plant at Garacharma was commissioned on 30.3.2013 and is delivering about 3 MW which can save Diesel in day time and fully meet daytime peak, without any interruption.
M/s Sudhir Ready are under contract to supply 10 MW, however they are supplying 13 MW on our request to tide over the present crisis. Also, M/s New Bharat Engineering Company with 5 MW Power Generation, due to some fund constraint could only supply 2.3 MW power during the entire past 12 months, and has totally shut down on 8.2.2013. However, Administration with the approval of Hon'ble Lt. Governor has advanced sufficient Lube Oil to them to deliver 2.5 MW for continued power supply.
“We expect that in any case, no power cuts would be needed after about a fortnight as the existing supply from Chatham Power house will be increased from 7 MW to 9 MW and another 1 MW at Phoenix Bay Power House by mid-May 2013”, stated the Pr. Secretary.
As regards payment of dues of M/s Suryachakra Power Corporation Pvt. Ltd, the Administration is waiting for the final orders of JERC on the completed cost and fund tie-up fixation, and it would be premature to comment as certain matters are subjudice, he said.
General Public has been requested to continue to help this Administration by using power economically, and stop indiscriminate use of energy-intensive equipments as was done in last 48 hrs. With this, we can contain the evening peak and totally avoid power shut down even by 45 minutes as was anticipated on 6th April, 2013.