Chandigarh Can’t go Green by 31st December

New Solar Plant in Chandigarh to Aid with Complete Power Demand of UT Secretariat Building

The deadline and desirability of making city 100% renewable energy powered was set by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). However, as said by the electricity department of Chandigarh, the target cannot be achieved in such time frame; rather it can only be achieved in the long term.

As the deadline for becoming 100% renewable powered city is approaching, Chandigarh administration has already shown its inability to achieve the target before 31 December.

The deadline and desirability of making city 100% renewable energy powered was set by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). However, as said by the electricity department of Chandigarh, the target cannot be achieved in such time frame; rather it can only be achieved in the long term.

The electricity department of the Chandigarh purchases power from central generating stations, which include thermal, hydro and nuclear power stations, and doesn’t generate power of its own.

There are fixed charges which department has to pay in addition to the actual costs of the power they purchase, as it has a long term purchase agreement with all these stations.

Chandigarh superintending engineer MP Singh said, they have long term agreements with the power generating stations which cannot be cancelled that easily. If the contracts are cancelled, the department will have to sell out fixed charges of Rs 60 Crore to non-renewable power plants.

The total power demand of the city is 400 MW and it is fulfilled through the purchase of 202 MW from hydro station, 80 MW from thermal power plants and 10 MW from nuclear power station.

Although the electricity department of the city has written to the ministry for the transfer of power quota from non-renewable to renewable power stations however there is no response from the ministry yet.