The Southern Regional Load Despatch Centre (SRLDC) has said that during the peak renewable energy season, there has been underdrawal (not consuming) of the allocated power from the southern grid and the maximum underdrawal is by Tamil Nadu.
The underdrawl is more than 300 MW in around 719 blocks and instances of 1,800 MW have also been observed in the Tamil Nadu system, it has said.
The SRLDC has noted that in a number of blocks when one State is underdrawing, another State is overdrawing the allocated power and real-time market trading in power exchanges could be facilitated.
Even after repeated requests, Tamil Nadu has continued underdrawal for most of the time, it has said. “When a State underdraws from the grid, it pays the charges as per the power purchase agreement even if the power is not utilised,” says an analyst.
He points out that a real-time market has been introduced, wherein the States get the opportunity to correct their schedule and buy and sell based on the last two hour assessment of demand and supply.
The real-time market can be used by the State to sell surplus power, brought about by the last change in the demand-supply position, the analyst says.
The issue of underdrawal was discussed at a meeting of the Operation Coordination Sub-Committee of The Southern Regional Power Committee, under the Central Electricity Authority.
According to the minutes of the meeting, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh underscored the difficulties in drawing and trading power owing to the sudden variability of renewable energy and certain operational procedures.
