Mumbaikars may get some respite on the power front.
The Maharshtra Electricity Distribution Company (Mahadiscom) said before the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission on Monday that its sister concern Maharashtra Electricity Transmission Company (Mahatransco) has expressed willingness to use its corridor to wheel in additional 100 mw power in the city.
This was revealed by Mahadiscom representative M P Bagde during the public hearing organised by MERC to consider on various proposals to cut down power consumption in the city, and if necessary, resort to load shedding.
After hearing from the various utilities, non-government organisations, industry associations and individuals, the MERC is likely to issue its order on Wednesday.
Bagde submitted before the commission that work on doubling the Chandrapur-Bhadrawati transmission line is underway and is expected to be complete by March-end, which will bring in additional power from southern states.
Bagde further said, Mahadiscom and Tata Power had an agreement with Jindal Power to buy 200 mw from its Karnataka unit this month. However since transmission capacity of the corridors were exhausted, Mahatransco was unable to bring power into the state.
However Power Grid Corporation (PGCIL) that recently informed that work on Chandrapur (Maharashtra) and Bhadrawati (Karnataka) will be complete by March, which will enable Mahatransco to wheel in an additional 200 mw in Mumbai and out of which 100 mw can be diverted to in Mumbai.
However the question still remains from where additional gap of 150 mw can be met. On this speaking to reporters on the sidelines on hearing deputy general manger of Tata Power J D Kulkarni said, "We can bring in another 50 mw from our plant at the Jameshdpur but for that again we need to know if Mahatransco will allow us to use their corridor".
But the situation will become clear after, Mahatransco submits its affidavit before the commission on the power corridor on Tuesday, he added.
Then for remaining 100 mw that has to be purchased, whatever required by the area which is served by the Tata Power but it seems that, there is no surplus power available anywhere, Kulkarni said.
