Column: India’s electricity shortages ease as wind and hydro output rises: Kemp

Via Renewables

27/06/2022 10:19

By John Kemp
    LONDON, June 27 (Reuters) - India’s electricity shortages
have eased over the last six weeks as renewables generation has
increased seasonally and relieved some of the pressure on
coal-fired units short of fuel.
    In a sign of reduced stress on the network, frequency
averaged 50.00 cycles per second (hertz) in May, exactly in line
with the operational target, up from just 49.93 Hz in April.
    Frequency fell below the minimum threshold of 49.90 Hz just
9.8% of the time in May compared with 32.0% of the time in
April, data from the Power System Operation Corporation of India
(POSOCO) showed.
    Below-target and falling frequency is a sign that
consumption is exceeding generation, causing rotating generators
to lose momentum, while above-target and rising frequency
signals the opposite. (https://tmsnrt.rs/3QJGk22)
    Grid stability improved even though it supplied a record 136
billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in May up from 133 billion kWh in
April and 110 billion kWh in the same month a year earlier.
    Seasonal increases from hydropower and wind played a
critical role improving generation availability and easing the
severe power shortages and blackouts evident in March and April.
    Wind farms added an extra 6 billion kWh in May compared with
March and April while hydro generators added an extra 1-2
billion kWh.
    Renewables supplied 23% of system-wide electricity demand in
May up from 18% in March and April. (“Monthly operational
performance report”, POSOCO, June 24)
    As a result, coal-fired, gas-fired and nuclear generators
were called on to supply 3-4 billion kWh fewer in May compared
with March and April.
    Coal stocks held at power plants have edged up to 9 days
worth of generation from 8 days at the end of April, but still
far below the 15 days in June 2021.
    The arrival of the monsoon season should ease pressure
further over the next two months by boosting hydro and wind
generation even more in July and August, enabling fuel stocks to
be replenished.
    But low coal stocks compared with prior years mean
electricity shortages are likely to re-emerge in
September-October, when the monsoon recedes and renewables
generation falls, and again in March-April 2023.
    India needs to build up coal inventories much faster and
develop more generation to meet demand and reduce blackouts in
the pre- and post-monsoon seasons or widespread blackouts will
occur again.
    
    Related columns:
    - India coal stocks under pressure owing to rail bottlenecks
(Reuters, May 12)  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL2N2X4184
    - India risks widespread blackouts this summer (Reuters,
April 14)  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL2N2WC0KQ
    - India's coal and electricity shortages ease (Reuters, Nov.
12)  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2S31NM
    - Beset by coal shortages, India’s power grid struggles to
meet demand (Reuters, Oct. 12)  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2R815C
    
    John Kemp is a Reuters market analyst. The views expressed
are his own

 ((john.kemp@thomsonreuters.com))