APEPDCL to bring down power loss

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Eastern Power Distribution Company of AP Limited (APEPDCL) has proposed to bring down the power loss to less than six per cent by March 31, 2016. The discom will ensure that the total energy loss does not cross 1,008 million units during the financial year.
In the last financial year the discom had reduced the energy loss to 6.32%.It stood first among all power distribution companies in the country in terms of energy saving. APEPDCL's energy loss last year was 1,061.76 million units.
APEPDCL chief general manager (projects) B Ramesh Prasad said that reducing energy loss by one per cent is equal to saving 168 million units of power, or Rs 67 crore.
"It is a difficult task to reduce even 1% of energy losses, but the discom has been doing it for the past few years. It has emerged as the number one discom in the country by reducing energy losses. We are sure that this fiscal we will be able to bring down energy losses to less than 6% against the previous achievement of 6.32% by maintaining our standard infrastructure facilities like incorporating high voltage distribution systems," Ramesh Prasad said.
A senior APEPDCL official said that the discom annually consumes a total of 16,800 million units of power to meet the electricity needs of more than 50 lakh consumers across five coastal districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari districts.
On an average, the discom spends Rs 4 to purchase a unit of power. This means it spends nearly Rs 6,720 crore per annum to purchase 16,800 million units of power. Based on the inputs, reducing 1 per cent of energy losses is equal to saving Rs 67 crore per annum, the officer explained.
The discom can reduce energy losses by incorporating advanced technologies and standards in the power distribution system, the officer said.
Some other measures that are useful for reducing energy losses include implementing supply side management (SSM) activities in the distribution network such as maintaining capacitor banks in 33/11KV substations, reducing the load on the distribution transformers and power transformers by installing additional transformers and reducing load on the feeders duly bifurcating them.
Apart from energy loss reduction in the distribution network, the discom also launched various energy conservation methods such as distribution of 79,20,000 LED bulbs of 7W and 9W in all five coastal districts.