NORTHERN REGIONAL LOAD DESPATCH CENTER, NEW DELHI Vs. PUNJAB STATE TRANSMISSION CORPORATION LTD., PATIALA AND ORS.

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE petitioner Northern Regional Load Despatch Centre (NRLDC) has been entrusted with the statutory function to ensure integrated operation of the power system in the Northern Region and to carry out real time operation for grid control and despatch of electricity within the region for secure and economic operation of the Northern Regional grid in accordance with the Grid Standards and the Grid Code. The petitioner had filed the main petition seeking appropriate direction on account continued over -drawl by the constituents of the Northern Region from 1.1.2012 to 25.3.2012. The matter was heard on 3.5.2012 and we had issued notice to the constituents of the Northern Region returnable by 20.5.2012. As the over -drawl from the grid continued unabated, the petitioner filed I.A. No. 25/2012 based on the data of over -drawl from 1.5.2012 to 14.5.2012 and sought appropriate directions to the constituents of the Northern Region to curb over -drawl and to maintain safety and security of the grid. After hearing the petitioner, we had directed the constituents of the Northern Region particularly Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana to restrict their over -drawl within schedule to ensure that there was no violation of Regulation 6.4.8, 5.4.2(a) and 5.4.2(b) of the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (Indian Electricity Grid Code) Regulations 2010. We had further directed the constituents of the Northern Region to comply with the directions of NRLDC for maintaining the security of the system. The I.A. and the main petition were heard by the Commission on 31.5.2012. After hearing the petitioner and the representatives of the constituents of the Northern Region, we came to the conclusion that some of the constituents of the Northern Region had resorted to over -drawl from the grid when the frequency was 49.5 Hz or below in violation of Regulation 5.4.2 (b) of the Grid Code. We had issued the following directions in our order dated 10.7.2012:

(2.) THE petitioner has filed two Interlocutory Applications, namely I.A. No. 35/2012 and I.A. No. 38/2012, bringing to the notice of the Commission the status of over -drawl by the constituents of the Northern Region for the period from 1.6.2012 to 30.6.2012 and from 10.7.2012 and 16.7.2012 respectively. The petitioner has sought urgent directions to the constituents of Northern Region to desist from the over -drawl from the grid and to comply with the directions of the Commission issued vide order dated 10.7.2012 to ensure the safety and security of the NEW grid. I.A. No. 35/2012 was listed for hearing on 26.7.2012. During the course of the hearing the representative of the petitioner mentioned about the I.A. No. 38/2012. Considering the urgency of the matter, both the IAs were taken up during the hearing.

(3.) IN I.A. No. 38/2012, the petitioner has submitted that despite the direction of the Commission in order dated 10.7.2012 the over -drawl from the grid is still continuing and the order of the Commission and the directions of the NRLDC are not being complied with by some of the constituents of the Northern Region. The petitioner has submitted the status of over -drawl/under -drawl by the constituents of the Northern Region from 10.7.2012 to 16.7.2012 as under: