Power produced by most listed power companies seem to be unaffected by deficient rains.

This is because many hydro-power projects have been set up on rivers that are fed not only by rain, but also snow, which moderates the impact of a shortfall in rain. Besides, hydro power forms a small portion of the total power generation of major power producers such as NTPC and Tata Power.

Data on power produced by NHPC, the country’s largest hydro power producer, mirrors this trend.

Close to three-fourths of the company’s projects are set up on rivers that are both rain and snow-fed.

NHPC, which got listed in September 2009, has seen its production rise, though at widely varying rates, every year since 2000-01 up till 2012-13. But, there is no one-to-one relation between power generation and revenue or profit in any year.

This is because NHPC sells power at tariffs set by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), which undergoes regular revision.

Consequently, revenue each year includes sales made that year for which tariffs have been decided and also earlier year’s sales for which tariffs were finalised later on. Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN), which mainly operates the 1,500-MW Nathpa Jhakri Hydropower Station in Himachal Pradesh, commenced full operations at the plant in 2004.

In 2009-10, a year of deficient rain for India, SJVN reported a 6 per cent increase in power generation to 7,019 million units.

More than rainfall deficit, it is heavy rains in the catchment area of the Sutlej (snow and rain fed) that have affected operations at the Nathpa Jhakri plant. This had led to increased silting forcing the plant to be shut down temporarily, in the past.

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