CHANDIGARH:If all goes according to the plans of the ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE), the city will be on green energy by the end of 2018. After the selection of Chandigarh for development as a model solar city, the ministry has directed the UT administration to make the city 100% renewable energy-powered. The deadline is end of 2018.
In recent years, the central government has been laying considerable emphasis on promotion of renewable energy for its environmental benefits. Since Chandigarh does not have its own power plant, it buys power from central generating stations such as Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited, National Thermal Power Corporation Limited, Bhakra Beas Management Board, National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN). Power allocation from each station is fixed for one year, while the deficit is met through an unallocated quota and short-term power purchase.
Chandigarh Renewal Energy, Science and Technology Promotion Society CEO Santosh Kumar, who attended the meeting in which the ministry issued these directions, said the administration plans to replace thermal and nuclear power with wind energy.
‘Asked ministry for 50MW wind energy’
Chandigarh Renewal Energy, Science and Technology Promotion Society CEO Santosh Kumar said, “The administration has already started the process and has moved an application to the ministry to provide 50 MW of wind energy.”
Chandigarh electricity department caters to more than 2 lakh consumers with an annual energy consumption of around 1,600 million units (MU). The present peak demand of the city is around 400 megawatts (MW), of which around 202 MW is procured from different stations generating hydroelectricity, while 60 MW is purchased from thermal power plants. Around 10 MW is purchased from nuclear power stations. At present, around 68% power is purchased from hydro stations, while 2% is solar. The remaining power comes from thermal and nuclear power stations. Hydroelectricity is renewable while thermal and nuclear power are non-renewable.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes
