listed above. However, the data for the Mejia TPS and Budge-Budge
TPS were available for the years 1997-98 to 1999-2000 as these thermal
plants were commissioned in the year 1997 and had started commercial
production only from the year 1997-98. A detailed table listing the various
thermal power stations along with the year of commissioning of their
respective units is presented in Table A1 in the appendix. An interesting
feature worth mentioning about our sample of thermal plants is that these
plants are of different vintages. On the one hand we have plants like
Bokaro TPS’A’ which was commissioned in the decade of fifties, on the
other there are newer plants like Mejia TPS and Budge-Budge TPS
which are still under construction and only some of their units have
started commercial operations. The sample also includes plants which
were commissioned in the decades of eighties and nineties. So we have
a whole spectrum of thermal plants in the analysis representing
technologies of different vintages. The primary data pertaining to inputs
and outputs were collected from the WBSEB, DVC, and CESC for their
respective thermal plants. Only plant level data on the different inputs,
outputs, and prices of one of the desirable output is needed for our
analysis.
Inputs: The main inputs required for the generation of electricity by the
thermal plants are fuel, capital, and labour. The major fuel input needed
by the thermal power plants considered in the present study is coal. In
addition, the coal fired thermal plants also require fuel oil or light diesel
oil (LDO), as a secondary fuel to provide the necessary heat input as and
when required to start-up the boiler or for stabilisation of flame at low
load. Coal consumption figures are given in metric tonnes while the fuel
oil (or LDO) consumption is recorded in kilolitres. The data on coal and
fuel oil consumed are converted into tonnes of oil equivalent (see, Box 1)
and are then aggregated to get the total fuel consumption figure for the
individual plants.
Box 1: Conversion Factors
1 kilolitre of LDO
1 metric tonne of LDO
1 metric tonne of coal
0.863 metric tonnes of LDO
1.035 tonne of oil equivalent
0.67 tonnes of oil equivalent
Source: Indian Petroleum and Natural Gas Statistics 1995-96 and 1996-97
The other important input in the generation of electricity is
capital. In the present study we have used plant capacity in megawatt
17