ENERGY POLICY OF CHHATTISGARH GOVERNMENT
Introduction
Availability
of reliable and cheap power is absolutely essential for economic development of
any developing State and consumption of electricity in a State is an important
indicator of the stage of development of agriculture, industry and commerce in
that State. Chhattisgarh is backward in agriculture
and industrial sector due to historical reasons. Formation of separate
Present
Scenario
Chhattisgarh is predominantly an agriculture-based State with more than 80% of its
population being dependent upon agriculture. About 44% of the State is under
forest cover with about 32% of the population being tribal. About 90% of the
villages are electrified and most of the remaining villages are tribal
dominated and come in forest areas. With irrigation being just about 17%,
people are largely dependent on rains for agriculture. From the point of view
of industrial development also Chhattisgarh is a
backward State.
Total installed capacity of the Power Plants of Chhattisgarh
State Electricity Board (CSEB) is 1360MW, out of which 1240 MW is Thermal and
120 MW is Hydel. Thus the share of Hydel power is only about 9% of total capacity against the
national average of about 24%. Average per capita electricity consumption per
year is about 300 units which is very low compared to
other developed States and also with national average Power consumption by high
tension (H T) consumers is about 64% of the total consumption, whereas
agriculture consumption is only about 10%.
Objectives
of Energy Policy
Due to historical reasons Chhattisgarh is
backward in agriculture and industrial sector. One of the main reasons for this
backwardness has been non-availability of cheap and reliable power in the
State. State Government aims to ensure availability of reliable and cheap
electricity to every section of society both in rural as well as urban areas,
including the farmers, so that more and more electricity could be consumed
within the State. State Government shall also provide quality power at
reasonable rates to industries as per their requirement so that industries
could flourish and pace of industrialization is accelerated.
Main objective of our Energy policy is to accelerate the
pace of development of the State and bring it at least at par with other
developed States.
Energy
Policy
Keeping in view the above objectives the State Government enunciates the
following Energy Policy:
I. Rural Electrification:
To bring per capita electricity consumption at par with national level,
State Government accords highest priority to providing electricity to all the
villages and Majra /Tolas
(Hamlets). Transmission & Distribution network shall be accordingly
strengthened. Looking to the problems in electrification due to dense forest
coverage, villages will be electrified through non- conventional energy
resources where ever feasible. The following rural electrification program
shall be under taken in line with National Policy in this regard:-
(a) Electrification of all villages and Majra/Tolas
of the State would be completed by the end of 10th Five Yeas Plan i.e. 2007.
(b) Electricity to every household in the State would be available by
the end of 11th Five Year plans, i.e. 2012.
II. Energy For Agriculture
Keeping in view the important role of agriculture in the State's
economic development and low irrigation percentage, priority shall be accorded
to energisation of agriculture pump sets. For this
purpose, where power lines exist and the required formalities are completed by
the farmers, energisation of their agriculture pumps
shall be done within a fixed time- limit. Where lines do not exist,
transmission and distribution infrastructure shall be developed for energizing
agriculture pumps. Procedures for energisation of
agriculture pump sets would be further simplified. Recognising
the importance of agriculture sector in the economic development of State,
electricity shall be made available on priority to Lift Irrigation Schemes
(LIS) also.
For giving impetus to industrial investment in the State, it is
absolutely essential that industries
get quality power at reasonable rates. State Government resolves to make
reliable power available to industries at reasonable rates so that in the present
competitive scenario, new industries get attracted to the State. A separate
package shall be prepared to. Revive the closed industries.
Normally Captive Power Plant (CPP) is required by industries when
availability of power is not assured. Presently
(a) Keeping in view the State Government's resolve to make Chhattisgarh 'Power Hub' of the nation, State Government
would encourage power generation through captive power plants and would
liberally grant permission for the same.
(b) Captive power plant owners would be allowed to sell power to
their sister concerns. However, sale to third party within the State shall not
be allowed.
(c) In the event captive power plant owner intends to sell its
power to other State, state government and CSEB shall extend all possible help.
Such sale would be through CSEB but the responsibility to select purchasing
State / Organisation shall rest solely with captive
power plant Owner. In case of purchase of power from captive plant by CSEB, the
rates of purchase shall, as far as possible, be decided by mutual agreement.
(d) Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board
(CSEB) shall purchase electricity from captive power plant only when it is
required. Purchase price shall be decided keeping in view the rates at which
electricity is available from other sources.
IV.
Generation
Because of abundant availability of coal and water, there exists a wide
scope for coal-based power projects in the State. In addition, the State has
very good potential for power generation through non-conventional energy
sources especially through Hydel projects. Presently
the installed capacity of the State from CSEB's power
stations is 1360 MW as against an average demand of 1100-1200 MW. It is
estimated that maximum demand by the year 2010-11 would be about 2120 MW.
Keeping in view the projected demand of Chhattisgarh
in the `````next 10 years and also the requirement of other States, following
steps would be taken to enhance generation in the State :
(a) Renovation & Modernization (R&M) of CSEB owned thermal
power units which are very old, will be undertaken to improve their PLF and
thereby enhance power generation. By March 2003, PLF to the extent of 80% shall
be achieved.
(b) Looking to the immense potential for coal based power
generation in the State and the power requirements of other States as also the
huge investments required for setting up power plants, State Government shall
welcome investments by other State Governments, Public Undertakings and Private
Sector to set-up power projects in this State. CSEB shall also set-up power
projects in the State keeping in view its requirements. After meeting
requirement of Chhattisgarh, surplus power from power
producers could be sold to other States and State Government shall extend all
possible help in this regard.
(c) Efforts would be made to revive Bodhghat
Hydel Project on river Indravati,
which is withheld by Government of India for the present due to forest
involved. With a view to increase Hydel Power
generation, sites for various projects at different locations based on water
availability feasibility shall be identified. Private investment shall also be
welcomed for Hydel Power Projects. Non-Governmental Organisations and local bodies shall also be encouraged for
very small hydel projects wherever feasible.
(d) Apart from Hydel Power, generation
through other Non- Conventional Energy Resources such as Solar, Wind,
Geo-Thermal, Bio-Mass etc., would also be encouraged and all possible help shall
be extended.
V. Power Sector Reforms
Due to long monopoly of State/SEBs in energy
sector and due to defective policies, power generation, transmission and
distribution sectors have become inefficient and most of the SEB' s have become
financially unviable with the result that SEB's are
unable to make required investments in these sectors. This situation cannot be
allowed to continue for long and therefore, reforms in power sector has now
become inevitable. Keeping in view the national policy for power sector
reforms, State Government shall take following steps: -
(a) A separate State Electricity Regulatory Commission has
been constituted. It shall be made effective.
(b) Existing electricity tariff shall be rationalized.
(c) If any policy of the State Government for fulfillment of
social objectives of the State results in financial loss to CSEB then the loss
shall be compensated by State Government by making provision in the Budget.
(d) To bring down line losses in Transmission and Distribution
(T&D), effective metering at all levels of T &D shall be done, so that
proper energy audit can be under-taken and accountability fixed.
(e) With a view to avert energy theft, cent-percent metering
of all consumers is essential. Due to the large quantum of this work, it shall
be done in a phased manner,.
(f) To curb the increasing tendency of energy theft,
effective steps shall be taken by State Government. Surprise checks by flying
squads will be conducted and strict legal action will be taken against those
found indulging in theft. Informers of energy theft shall be rewarded. Services
of judicial officers will also be obtained as per requirement.
(g) Keeping In view the experience of other States in the
process of power sector reforms and considering local situations, all-possible
efforts shall be made to make CSEB more efficient.
(h) Private investment and participation shall be encouraged
in transmission sector.
(i) There is an immediate need for
reforms in distribution sector. To begin with, distribution work of some areas
in the State shall be given to private sector on experimental basis.
VI.
Development of Non-Conventional Energy
(a) There exists a large scope of energy generation and
utilization in the State through Solar, Biomass, Bio-gas, Hydel
etc. Non-conventional energy resources are also very important from the
viewpoint of environment conservation. Therefore installation of power plants
using non-conventional energy resources shall be encouraged by State
Government. For power generation from such units, there shall be no ceiling on
the installed capacity. Self-consumption of energy by these units shall be
permitted and permission for third-party sale shall also be considered as per
requirement. Power generated through non-conventional means shall also be
purchased by CSEB based on its requirement.
(b) Villages located in such tribal and remote areas where
conventional electrification is not possible due to dense forests, shall be
electrified through non-conventional energy resources.
(c) Priority shall also be given to provide electricity to
Hostels located in hilly areas through non-conventional energy resources.
(d) Government would extend all possible help to popularize
non- conventional appliances like Solar cooker, Solar
lamp, Solar water heater, Solar agriculture pumps, Bio Gas etc., for their
extensive use in the State. State level
VII. Energy Conservation And
Demand Side Management
Looking to the importance of energy and it's
high generation cost, it is not only essential to stop misuse of energy but
also to conserve energy by way of demand side management. Effective measures
for creating i awareness about energy efficient
appliances like agriculture pump sets, energy efficient bulb tube lights etc,
shall be taken by State Government.
VIll. Consumer Satisfaction
State Government is of clear opinion that in energy sector, consumer
satisfaction is supreme. Therefore, for speedy Redressal
of complaints of all category of consumers viz
-agriculture, industry, domestic and others, a system shall be devised by which
Redressal is ensured within a fixed time limit.
Electricity bills will be simplified and services of Banks and Information
Technology (IT) shall be availed to improve the process of payment of energy
bill.
State Government has declared above energy policy for the
State of