The Kerala State Electricity Board, which had started drawing 100mw daily from the eastern region via the western grid, has stopped doing so since July 16.

The EREB supervises the supply of 1,2056 MW of thermal power and 1,114.4mw of hydel power generated by Bihar State Electricity Board, National Thermal Power Corp, Damodar Valley Corp, CESC, WBSEB and West Bengal Power Development Corp. The EREB, at its 89th board meeting on September 23, also noted that it had failed to resolve a dispute over transmission charges on power "re-imported" by Bhutan. The charges are payable by Bhutan to ASEB and the West Bengal State Electricity Board, through whose systems power will be re-imported to Bhutan.

EREB chairman AK Mishra noted that the problem of high frequency inthe eastern grid power remained "unabated even in spite of implementation of decisions taken earlier."

On several occasions, he said, the grid frequency crossed 53hz and remained at 51hz for nearly half the day against the ideal frequency range of 48 to 51hz.

He admitted that machinery -- including that of the power plants -- operating on high-frequency power can be damaged. "By operating our thermal machines beyond certain frequency levels, we are damaging our own plants and machinery. We have the responsibility to supply quality power to our consumers," the chairman said at the board meeting.

Mishra also said that users are constantly complaining that they "do not need our power because of the poor quality in terms of high frequency."KSEB had been drawing 100mw since February 1, but in line with the advice of the Central Electricity Authority, it stopped drawing power from July 16. The same day, Tamil Nadu started drawing from the eastern grid.

The EREB board noted that drawals by the westernregion have declined considerably and ASEB and MPEB reducing the power imported from this region.Mishra pointed out that the Karnakata Electricity Board has shown interest to draw power via the western region grid.

According to the minutes of the board meeting, the APSEB and ASEB are mainly interested in drawing peak power at a cheaper rate of Rs 1.95/kwh from the eastern region which is actually suffering from off-peak surplus and by reduced drawals by the importers.

The EREB board was unable to break the deadlock in transmission rate fixation between ASEB, WBSEB and Bhutan's department of power. Bhutan draws power at 11 and 33kv at various points from the WBSEB and ASEB. In line with the agreement between Bhutan and the Indian government, these is to be treated as reimport of Chukha Power by Bhutan.

The WBSEB representative at the Technical Co-ordination Committee meeting had pointed out that in addition to the rate of 20p/kwh, 12 per cent has to be added to cover up the losses it is likely to incur.Otherwise, the rate has to be 30p/kwh. ASEB, too, was unwilling to accept 20p/kwh. A separate meeting will be convened with the officials of CEA, WBSEB, ASEB and Powergrid to sort out the matter.