Six of the nine Northern States will have surplus power within four years if of all plants under execution are commissioned by the end of the 12th Plan period, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) reported recently. It, however, added that peaking shortage would continue.
The peaking shortage was what, in all likelihood caused the grid collapse, so that danger still exists. Unless states are clearly told that sudden, significant spikes in drawals are not allowed, the spectre of grid collapses will continue to loom in countries such as India where the power infrastructure additions significantly lag GPD growth (even at the reduced GDP growth levels!).
The other way to start avoiding such collapses is to start relying increasingly on decentralized power generation, and that of course brings renewable energy to the fore.
