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(B)Mr. S. M. Zafrulla, is a well known personality in the Power Sector as dynamic Technical Director of Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) and Managing Director of Visvesvaraya Vidyut Nigama Ltd. (VVNL), State Owned Generation Sector Companies of Karnataka.
Mr. Zafrulla has been the driving force behind the technical excellence attained by KPCL on various fronts. His contribution to KPCL bagged several medals and shields for meritorious performance from CEA and other national institutions and is no less significant.
KPCL to which Mr. Zafrulla belongs, has always been at the forefront in the Renewable Energy Domain. Way back in 1993, it bagged the Rolling Shield for Best Performance in Renewable Energy. As part of its commitment to Renewable Energy, KPCL successfully installed Enercon WECs at Kappadagudda in Gadag District during 2002-03. This venture has been a benchmark for best practice in the Wind Energy Sector and has been successfully bestowing one of the best Capacity Utilization Factors in entire country. To elicit few points of this esteemed customer of Enercon on host of emerging issues in Power Sector and experiences with Enercon, Vayu spoke to Mr. Zafrulla. Mr. Zafrulla in conversation with “Vayu”
Excerpts of the interview with Mr. S.M. Jafrulla, Director (Technical), KPCL
- Sir, you are at the technical helm of one of the most proactive and progressive State Owned Generating Companies. What role and prospects do you envisage for KPCL in the
coming times.
- As one of the unique generation companies in India with experience in implementing, operating and maintaining hydel, thermal and wind energy projects, it is a reservoir of skills. As a pioneer
in establishing best practices, it is relevant for the sector as a role model to ensure least
cost power to society in the future too.
- During the early days, coal was a panacea for every problem and then we dropped in favour of Naphtha, so much so that an aura of euphemism gripped across the liquid fuels, then it was gas, finally we are turning to coal, has the Power Sector come full circle?
- India’s energy needs are so huge it needs a portfolio of sources.
- The lack of domestic availability of oil and gas of adequate quantities would mean that we look to local coal as the mainstay. Of course, with the recent development in the nuclear field, there is a possibility of that source becoming significant in our energy mix.
- As the power market evolves, the time of gas both from petroleum and coal bed may come to occupy center stage in days to come.
- India is making efforts to source gas from Iran, Gulf, Venezuela, Myanmar, etc.and new technologies to satisfy and meet the ever growing appetite for energy.
- To meet the immediate demand KPCL is expanding the existing capacity with coal as fuel.
- The Government has proposed to set up Ultra Mega Power (UMP) Projects of 4000 MW each at five locations. Projects of even 500 MW size have been sunk in troubled waters? Are we being realistic in our propositions for Ultra Mega Power Projects?
- Considering the need to step up energy availability to feed the economic growth expectation of GDP @ 8-10 % p.a., the Government of India initiated Ultra Mega Power Project based on supercritical technology and imported coal as well as at pithead as quick fix solution.
- To the extent the Ultra Mega Power Project envisaged in Karnataka is on wasteland.
With UMP on core focus are we now disputing the utility of distributed generation?
- India being a vast country with its rising energy needs-all forms of generation will become relevant and necessary
- It is anticipated that Karnataka may get an allocation of around 2000 MW + from two UMP
Projects in Karnataka and Maharashtra. Do you think our Distribution Companies are
geared up to absorb this Power and honour the PPAs?
- The beauty of power projects is that whenever we think we have enough, the gap widens
inexorably. All states have witnessed this phenomenon. Economic growth will be a driver for downstream investments with the opening up of the economy and India becoming a manufacturing hub as well.
- Is foreign coal a panacea to our energy deficit situation?
- Well, it will augment our efforts to bridge the energy needs.
- Our Hon’ble President in his address to the Nation on the eve of Independence Day in 2005 gave a clarion call for sourcing 20-25% of total energy NCE Source? Please share your views on the same.
- In India, there has been a conscious push to popularize non-conventional energy. The
financial health of the sector is a determinant for speedier implementation of such projects. They need to becomecompetitive with conventional sources in course of time. At the same time Renewables need to be given a benign fiscal treatment by the Government.
- There is a strong view point that given the typical features of Wind Energy Projects there is need for insulation from the rigours of bidding guidelines. Please share your iewpoints.
- As a public utility company, KPCL is not in a position to avoid bidding process.
- What policy measures you envision for the favourable development of Renewable Energy particularly Wind Energy?
- A favourable policy and regulatory climate for Wind Energy in the Open Access regime
would be helpful.
- Banking provision to all applicants who seek captive or third party sales, by addressing special needs of the Wind Energy may be desirable.
- Wind and Renewables in general would require facilitation in the matter of Open Access provisions, to be on equal footing with other sources in the Open Access market.
- What prompted KPCL to explore Wind Energy?
- KPCL started the trend in Karnataka with a pilot project to show the way to investors/
developers.
- This venture of ours has paved the way for many private sectorentrants and has robustly
complemented the Investment climate of the State.
- The increasing importance that Wind Energy has attained in recent times and favourable
capacity utilization factors we have witnessed from our Wind Projects in particular has
proved us more than right.
- Our decision has been a good blend of ecological consciousness with economic prosperity.
- What has been the Annual Plant Load Factor sincecommissioning and what are
your comments on the same.
- When we initially went for the Wind Projects with Induction generators in Kappadagudda, the PLF wasaround 27%.
- The synchronous generators of Enercon machines have recorded significant PLFs for
last two years around 38%. In fact one of the machines of Enercon recorded the highest PLF in the entire India at a record high of 44.7% during 2003-04. Even if you exclusively consider
the Wind farm of Enercon, the average has been somewhere around the 43.66 % for that
period.
- We are very much happy with the PLF achieved by Enercon machines at our Wind farm.
- Please share your views on the on KPCL and Enercon’s business relationship over the
years.
- We have shared a cordial and professional relationship all throughout. During the
commissioning and to till date KPCL has had a very fulfilling business relationship.
- We look forward to strengthening these business ties further in the coming times.
- Any future plans in near term on fresh capacity additions from Wind energy
- Due to our favourable experience with Wind Energy projects, KPCL has ambitious
plans of expansion at Kappatagudda.
- What are your suggestions to Wind Sector Investors?
- We advice Investors to install Wind Projects that offer competitive cost advantage with high availability factors.
- Wind energy being a clean and eco friendly energy source, it has a bright future in the
coming times especially rising energy costs.
Views of Mr. P.V. Chandran, Chairman cum Managing Director,
Ambika Cotton Mills Pvt. Limited
Ambika Cotton Mills is a public limited company and its shares are listed
with Bombay Stock Exchange. The company has 3 units of production in
operation and the 4th unit with 44000 spindles nearing fast completion,
taking the total to 1,10,000 spindles. The company has wind turbine
installation of 13.8 MW comprising Enercon Make ‘Gearless Wind Turbines’
for its captive use in the state of Tamilnadu.
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