Load management

However, to be pragmatic, there should be a time frame before the idea can be put in practice. Most of the above mentioned facilities have minimum generation capacity to take emergency load only. To provide full load capability their generating and related switchgear sets have to be of much larger capacity; in effect new set up. Further to ensure that utility power supply is switched off and the in house power run on fixed times, the power supply utility has to provide automatic time related change over switches. Otherwise, who will check all these facilities every day to ensure that manual change over is effected and maintained through out the maximum demand period? All these equipment have to be made available. For this we also need to know the cut off level at which this becomes operative. Is it for all units, irrespective of load or say any load over 49KW as an example?

All these facts need to be sorted out, which needs a time frame from clarification to compliance. A minimum ten-month period is probably realistic, provided everyone is on his or her toes, and government gives it the top most priority and highest level follow up.

Along with this one wonders why our government does not go for harnessing standby generators and other installed generators in private and public sector units to provide additional power quickly and cheaply during maximum demand period?

One also wonders why the government does not take up a serious energy conservation policy as an important option for load management and reduction? This should be possible with our own resources; both financial and technical.

If we can recover power from standby and other units and simultaneously go for firm energy conservation, the gap between electricity demand and supply can be brought much closer; and at an affordable cost which could be provided without loans or aid.

One can go on wondering why our government does not practise these sensible and accepted options? Can anyone from any source explain this apparent anomaly? Or may be it needs a World Bank kick before we wake up; like the independent power plant project that has gone to cold storage!