Jammu, Nov 27 – The Administrative Council of Jammu and Kashmir, chaired by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, has granted approval for the purchase of an additional 500 MW of firm power from the Ministry of Power (MOP). This decision aims to fulfill the Base Load power requirement of the Union Territory (UT) during the winter season.
The meeting, attended by Advisor Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Chief Secretary Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, and Principal Secretary Dr. Mandeep Kumar Bhandari, endorsed the allocation of an extra 500 MW of firm power from MOP in B(v) mode, with procurement facilitated by PFC. The objective is to meet the essential Base Load power demand during the winter months, especially when the availability of power decreases due to the higher proportion of hydropower in the UT.
To address this gap between demand and availability during winters, the Administrative Council approved the signing of a new Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) by J&K Power Corporation Limited (JKPCL) with NTPC for Singrauli-III, a thermal power station operated by NTPC. Singrauli-III, being a must-run station, supports J&K’s power requirements during winter when the generation from hydropower sources reduces significantly.
The move is expected to increase the availability of power during the lean winter season and address the power shortage faced by the UT. The signing of a fresh PPA is a strategic step to ensure a stable power supply and meet the increasing energy demand in Jammu and Kashmir, which has been growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10%.
