Power Outages - Is it political?
Posted : June 21, 2006 at 6:52 pm [IST]
Power has been the single most important bottleneck of the growth of manufacturing sector in India. Power is short in supply and outages are frequent. Quality of power-voltage fluctuations, surges, and even frequency drop- is also a big hurdle to use the latest machines and equipment, though many machine manufacturers have built the equipment robust enough for such a situation, but naturally that means cost. I remember when we were deciding on the machine tools and equipment for the engine transmission plant at Pithampur and truck plant at Vadodara in early nineties, we used to provide for the poor quality of power supply. Foreign suppliers could appreciate that only after a real convincing session. For them that was unique and very special to India only.
In early 70s, power shortages and outages were severe in West Bengal. Most of the time of managers was wasted in managing the different divisions for the most effective utilization. With lack of communication equipment such as cellular phones, it used to be difficult task. As the first investment, we at HM (Hindustan Motors) invested and installed imported generators with a capacity of about 20 MW to meet our requirement. Today Bengal is surplus in power. The other day I read somewhere in media, Delhi government is negotiating to buy power from West Bengal. Over the period Bengal invested in a number of power plants. Most of the companies requiring a lot of power have also closed down that reduce power requirements. Unlike Noida, we never get any power outages at Salt Lake, Kolkata.
I have some friend here who works for BHEL and NTPC. I was trying to find out why couldn’t BHEL and NTPC standardize the modules of the power plant based on capacity, and similarly, its accessories, and even the building design. Why should they keep so varying sizes of plants? Another necessary step for BHEL to enhance its capacity will be extensive outsourcing. As I understand, its order book has about Rs 40,000 crore of equipment. The order must also get executed fast. Outsourcing and vendor development would have boost up manufacturing sector. BHEL must manufacture only very specialized items and assemblies themselves. You can appreciate the issue of standardization when I quote this news item that I saw recently.
“The Bihar chief minister has asked for allocations nearing 50 per cent of the power generation of upcoming plants in the region. The plants are Kahalgaon phase-II (600 Mw), Barh (792 Mw), North Karanpura (972 Mw), Teesta HEP (255 Mw) and Tala (500 Mw).”
Have you noticed the capacities of these power plants? Why can’t the capacity be 250 or 500Mw or its multiple for all the installations? Even the design of accessories such as coal handling plant and building must be standard. It could certainly mean shorter installation and commissioning time once the project is sanctioned. The equipment could be available off shelf. My BHEL and NTPC friends gave the excuse of ministry’s interference in taking such productive action. Is it so or is it a myth?
With on-going politics of power in UP and the battle de royale between Sonia and Mulayam, we can only talk of solutions through better management and technologies. Perhaps, it is only the better management that power in residential Noida has very lately improved.
PS Interesting Readings
Film on Indian outsourcing to be screened in US
America’s chairman is our chairman by SWAMINATHAN S ANKLESARIA AIYAR
Education for the new economy by JOHN CHAMBERS
- Indra
Category: Government Policy/Administration |
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