The city may just be looking at a brighter future. The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has decided to expand its role from power supplier to power purchaser to ensure zero load shedding in Pune. The MSEDCL will now buy power from the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) for the city and other divisions. The power utility has submitted a proposal to the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) for fixing the reliability charge that can be levied on such a power purchase. A hearing on this has been slated for November 5 at Council Hall.

S P Nagtilak, chief engineer, Pune division of the MSEDCL, said a decision had been taken whereby the MSEDCL will now be the franchisee and purchase power to ensure zero load shedding for Pune, Amravati, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Nashik, Thane and Vashi divisions.

The zero load-shedding model was first implemented in Pune with the help of captive power plants of 33 local industries in September 2006. But as Pune’s power demand grew, the existing arrangement proved to be inadequate and Tata Power Company stepped in as an interim distributed generation-based distribution franchisee to secure the additional power required. The term of the model expired in May this year, but has been continued till MERC decides on the new model proposed by MSEDCL.

The MSEDCL had proposed the zero load-shedding model through a petition filed on July 27, whereby it sought to end load-shedding in all revenue division headquarters. The model was mooted to replace the existing zero load-shedding model in Pune in which the Tata Power Company is securing additional power for Pune through the Indian Energy Exchange on a day-ahead basis.

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