Nationwide power generation plummets by over 8%

WEB DESK: According to the latest monthly power production data released by the National Electric Power Authority (NEPRA), the total power generated in the country dropped by 8.2 per cent compared to the same time last year.

In December 2023, the total power generation was 7,726 GWh, showing a significant decrease from the 8,417 GWh recorded in December 2022.

On a month-on-month (MoM) comparison, the total power generation demonstrated a 2.4 per cent increase, reaching 7,726 GWh in December, compared to 7,547 GWh in November.

Cumulatively, in the first six months of the fiscal year 2024 (6MFY24), electricity generation amounted to 68,984 GWh. This represents a modest 0.6 per cent YoY increase compared to the 68,570 GWh generated in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year (6MFY23).

The breakdown of power generation by energy sources revealed varying trends. Hydel, nuclear, and coal (imported) experienced a decline of 32.5 per cent, 6.9 per cent, and 21 per cent MoM in December, respectively.

In contrast, coal (local), RLNG, gas, wind, bagasse, and solar generation witnessed increases of 32.7 per cent, 58.9 per cent, 18.8 per cent, 1.4 per cent, 3.74x, and 24 per cent MoM, respectively.

Compared to December 2022, significant drops in generation were observed in the nuclear, gas, coal (imported), wind, bagasse, and solar categories.

Hydel power generation contributed the largest share in December 2023, accounting for 24.1 per cent (1,859 GWh) of the total electricity generated. Nuclear power constituted 18.9 per cent, generating approximately 1,464 GWh, while local coal contributed 17 per cent (1,310 GWh) to the overall electricity generation.

Simultaneously, RLNG-based power plants contributed around 1,268 GWh, constituting 16.4 per cent of the total generation.

The data also highlighted a significant surge in the average fuel cost, recording a 43.9 per cent YoY increase to Rs10.13/kWh in December 2023, compared to Rs7.04/kWh in the same period last year.

On a sequential basis, the fuel cost rose by 41.3 per cent MoM in December 2023, compared to Rs7.17/kWh in November 2023.

Despite a 17.5 per cent and 19.2 per cent decline in the fuel cost of RFO and local coal, respectively, the fuel cost for all other sources experienced monthly increases. On an annual basis, fuel costs for all alternatives showed significant upticks.

However, there was a silver lining in the 1HFY24 data, where the overall fuel cost dropped by 10.1 per cent YoY compared to the same period in the previous fiscal year, amounting to Rs7.17/kWh.

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