Despite four thermal units tripping due to various reasons, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) successfully met the power demand of more than 14,600 MW this afternoon. The tripped units included three 660 MW units at Talwandi Sabo and one 270 MW unit from GVK, resulting in a decrease of 2,250 MW in power generation.

While two units at Talwandi Sabo had already been offline since June 30 due to boiler issues, the third unit experienced a breakdown today. The GVK unit has also been out of operation since July 1, while one unit at Lehra Mohabbat has been shut down for an extended period.

Despite these challenges, PSPCL had prepared in advance to meet the power demand and had planned generation and supply capacity accordingly. PSPCL CMD Baldev Singh Sran confirmed that there would be no shortage of power in Punjab, and arrangements were in place to purchase power at lower rates from the grid.

During the afternoon when the power demand peaked at over 14,600 MW, PSPCL drew approximately 9,500 MW from the grid, leaving room to draw an additional 1,000 MW if needed. However, PSPCL stated that they were currently managing the power demand through alternative arrangements, ensuring a sufficient power supply.

On Sunday, with a maximum power demand of 14,182 MW, PSPCL purchased around 350 lakh units from the power exchange. The previous day, 391 lakh units were purchased from the exchange at a rate of Rs 3.52 per unit, which was even lower than the cost of coal, as confirmed by a top official.

Power officials expect two out of the three Talwandi Sabo units to resume generation tonight, with the third unit expected to start by tomorrow. Similarly, the GVK unit is also scheduled to restart generation by tomorrow night.