Energy audit a dire need

Energy will decide mankind’s future. In a sprawling metro like Hyderabad, a careful watch on energy consumption is essential to stem wastage and misuse of power.But the AP state electricity board is not categorical it does this though it bravely admits pilferage and transmission loss.

A comprehensive account of energy production and its usage is what energy auditing is about. Energy auditing is done to enhance a business, an institution or a company’s performance by reducing the amount of expenditure spent on energy. This whole unheard system of auditing is called “energy auditing”.

While the APSEB must be congratulated for conducting an energy audit for the years 1966-1998, a practice that threw light on the many problems of distribution and transmission of power to the City and State, it is unclear if it has been taken seriously.

While none of the electricity boards has accepted power theft as a factor of transmission loss, the APSEB has been brave enough to accept it as 3.47% annually.

Sources at the APTransco say, “Energy audit has helped counter check the supply of 320 KV and 132 KV with parallel meters. The system of transmission has been strengthened by additional monitoring and by relieving the load on lightly loaded feeders as opposed to the over loaded feeders. This has cut considerable losses in transmission.”As energy saved is energy produced, it makes a big difference.

“Energy audits report the average energy consumption which forms the base of the tariff plan and power scheduling, and it is a lengthy process. Now, the agricultural sector has no metered system of consumption that leads to power pilferage. Such things are easily taken care of by an audit or energy census,” authorities say.

Due to the latest trend in trying to cut costs and hence save capital for production, energy auditors are in high demand. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency, India is credited with giving prominence to energy auditing and energy managing.R Gopalakrishna, an energy auditor for Pasigoba Energy Consultants says, “An energy audit also relays an expenditure audit that goes into

production of a business or an institution. This helps in finding out the specific energy consumption especially in industries and factories with different fuel usage — coal, thermal, hydel etc. Energy auditing helps in cost cutting and increasing efficiency thereby contributing to the global economic and ecological scenario.”

While the APTransco continues to battle transmission losses through power pilferage and natural factors, the rewards of an energy audit will certainly not go unnoticed.

Tags: APSEB, APTransco, Energy

Category: City, City News