Assam: APDCL buys power worth Rs 19 crore daily to meet the demand

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The Assam Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (APDCL) buys Rs 19 crore worth of power on average from the energy market on a daily basis to meet the state's power demand. The average demand in the state during peak hours is around 2,842 MW. The state's own generation is around 500 MW on average.

Official sources said that the demand for power in the state is gradually increasing due to commercialisation and industrialisation but the generation capacity has remained stagnant in the past few years. As a result, the demand-supply gap is increasing, and APDCL has had to buy power amounting to thousands of crores.

In a bid to bridge the shortage of power, work on mega thermal power projects and pump storage projects has been started.

Meanwhile, the state government has inked several MoUs to set up solar power projects in the state. Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma is confident that, by 2031, Assam will not only be able to meet its own power demand but also supply power to the neighbouring states. The ongoing 3,200 MW coal-based thermal power project is expected to change the power scenario in the state.

APDCL sources said that as the power generation capacity in the state is limited, we are bound to purchase power from the energy market. In the financial year 2024-25, APDCL spent Rs 19 crore per day, on average, to purchase power to cater to the state's demand. The government's policy is that people should not suffer for lack of power, and the demand has to be met by purchasing the deficit power, if necessary.

Sources said that the state has already made arrangements to purchase 2778 MW of power from different sources, and 2000 MW of power is being purchased at present to tide over the power supply deficit. Apart from this, the Power Ministry allocates power to the state on a random basis.

Under the Assam Power Generation Company Ltd (APGCL), six projects are generating around 315 MW daily, on average. 179 MW is being generated through solar power plants at present.

Sources said that, along with the purchase of power, the power distribution system is being upgraded to minimize the transmission and distribution loss. Work is going on to set up a new 7323 circuit km 11-KV line, erecting 6525 distribution transformers, and setting up of 196 sub-stations (33/11KV) to make the distribution system more efficient.

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