Unpredictable Wind Power: No help to Power Cuts

The daily power-cut status changed as Wind Power changed the schedules for one day. Wind power showed how undependable it is, as two days of wind, and then a lull starved the grid almost immediately.

Sun 4 Mar 2012 - Sat 10 Mar 2012 (Thanjavur, TN, India)

Wind power in this part of the Indian peninsula has been undependable. Even monsoon winds have not been predicted with sufficient accuracy, hence usage of wind during non-monsoonal periods for energy would be the last possible resort and subject to randomness as we have not yet modeled it.

Power Demand and Production in South India

Summer is nearing which might lend us a drop in Hydel power as well as Wind power being produced in the Southern peninsula.

USA, Nellis AFB, Solar Power Plant (13GW Operational Capacity)

Tamil Nadu, may end up being most affected as it already is bearing the brunt of lack of electrical energy to meet demand.  The above image is most alluring of 13GW of actual production from 18GW of installed Solar Production capacity in the USA at the Nellis Airforce Base with over 56 hectares of sun-following panels.

I have earlier discussed the capability and scope of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in my blog-post. I have also reviewed the total power production potential in Tamil Nadu (that caters to neighboring states as well.)
Ref: http://betasector.blogspot.in/2012/02/understanding-kudankulam-technology-and.html

The present electric power cuts have been partly induced by an acute shortage of coal. As the Telengana agitation begun, India's production of over 400 million tonnes of coal (annually) dwindled as some of the open mines suffered flooding while supply routes were cut. This was the first sign of major power cuts which began during the DMK regime in a 2hr quantum. These have suddenly increased due to a further shortfall of coal. Further drops in Wind power production and Hydel power drops have left most parts of Tamil Nadu with over 8 hours of power cuts each day. (I write this from Thanjavur where 9 hours of power-cut each day is a regular feature.)

In part private operators have not received over 25,000crores in payment for power supply from various sources. The total quantum of loan that has been left unpaid is over 35,000crores for which the present government led by the AIADMK has also not been able to work any remedies in time.

(ref: http://www.bellona.org/imagearchive/India1.jpg )

Forecast: Power Cuts (Mon, Feb 27, 2012)

Here's the power-cut FORECAST for Monday, February 27, 2012. The total power cut timing should be reduced to 5:30 hrs during business hours. Here's when it would be happening.

This, I am told is common for "Arulananda Nagar, Yagappa Nagar, Nanjikottai Road, MC Rd/Easwari Nagar" - someone please confirm by giving a comment here.

From	To
08:00	10:00
12:00	14:00
16:45	17:30
20:15	21:00

From

To

08:00

10:00

12:00

14:00

16:45

17:30

20:15

21:00

Forecast for Monday, 27 Feb 2012

More data follows, if you want it.

Understanding Kudankulam: Technology and Potential

Let us first understand "Power Production Potential" of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant.
Power Production Potential at Kalpakkam 
Fast Breeder Reactor (operational: 1983, 1992 unit 1, 1994 unit 2 become self sufficient)

Madras Atomic Power Station, located at Kalpakkam has two units, each capable of 220MW. That provides peak power of about 400MW. The reactors became operational in the year 1983.

Madras Atomic Power Station is presently working on testing a 500MW FBR Prototype test project which can be deployed between 2014-2016. This too is to address the major deficit in power production. This capacity will be close to 1GW if the test proves successful as a paired unit.

Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant

Unit 1 - Feb 10, 2012 (src: FirstPost)

In 1988, a project to build a second-generation Nuclear reactor with technology which was way beyond what Kalpakkam had by combining Russian Nuclear research and research from BHARC began. This is what has transpired into the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant.

During initial phases in 1988-89, the capacity of the entire Nuclear Power Plant after full installation in multiple stages at peak load was estimated at 9150 MW or 9.15 GW (That is 20 times the load that Kalpakkam's plant handles in comparison.) An agreement was also made to provide top notch VVER Nuclear Reactor design technology to India and operational expertise. This type of reactor had been first made operational in 1975. The servicability of the reactor was demonstrated when the first VVER operational reactor was shutdown for service and increase in life.