Gujarat has received as much as 54.28 per cent of the average yearly rainfall as compared to the period of 1999-2008, till Wednesday, as per data from the State Control Room, Director of Relief, Revenue Department, Gujarat government.

But the delayed monsoon has, nevertheless, helped in improving the power scenario in the state. The monthly power deficit has gone down to 0.7 per cent in July as compared to nearly its double (1.3 per cent), in June.

The monthly power supply position of Gujarat, provided by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) of the Ministry of Power, Government of India, indicates that power deficit in July was 32 Million Units net (MU) due to availability of 4,654 MU as against the required 4,686 MU. This deficit was more than double in June (74 MU).

Overall, the state has recorded a power deficit of 1.5 per cent or 328 MU between April-July 2009. The requirement was of 21,669 MU, but only 21,341 MU were available during that period.

Similar was the case with the peak power position in July as compared to June.

The peak power deficit in July was 3.4 per cent or 270 Mega Watts (MW), while it stood at 4.2 per cent or 359 MW in June.

With rains bringing down the temperature substantially, the peak demand of 8,633 MW in June decreased to 8,051 MW in July leading to reduced power deficits.

Notably, the CEA had earlier in its ‘Load Generation Balance Report 2009-10’, anticipated a peak power shortage of 1,498 MW for Gujarat (a deficit of nearly 14.6 per cent).