Punjab Power Engineers seek Gidderwaha thermal plant under state sector

Vinod Kumar Gupta
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
CHANDIGARH: PSEB engineers Association has appealed to Chief Minister Punjab to scrap the memorandum of understanding signed with NTPC and allow execution of 2640 MW Gidderwaha thermal plant under state sector.
H S Bedi President of Association said that Punjab has direct control on only 3620 MW of generation capacity which is 52% of total capacity of 6900 MW. The state has already awarded 6510 MW thermal plants to private companies and another 2000 MW shall be added in coming years as Punjab’s Share in Central Sector Projects. Now award of 2640 MW Gidderbaha Thermal Project to NTPC shall reduce the state sector share to a meager 19 percent of total generation capacity.

Bedi further said that for optimum grid operation it is necessary to retain adequate share of state sector generation. The private or central sector generators would have the tendency to operate their plants irrespective of the requirements of the State to earn profits at the cost of consumers.

Almost all the progressive states in the country are executing generating plants by investing equity from its resources.

Citing examples Bedi said that Maharashtra has planned 7800 MW, Andhra Pradesh over 11000 MW, Rajasthan over 8000 MW, Haryana 1710 MW, Gujarat 1700 MW and Karnataka 5900 MW under state sector whereas Punjab is fully depending upon private sector.

Padamjit Singh Patron of Association said that NTPC backed out from its commitment of giving 1500 MW to Punjab from the 4000 MW Lara pithead thermal station in Chhatisgarh. Now Punjab is signing the MOU with NTPC for costly 1320MW power from Gidderbaha has virtually surrendered its claim of 1500 MW cheaper power from Lara Project .Further NTPC refused to give power to Punjab from its Dadri unit 5 of 490 MW for which PPA was signed with PSEB in Jan. 2002.

With such a poor track record, PSPCL and the state Govt. failed to get any time bound commitment from NTPC in the MOU for commissioning of Gidderbaha plant. The power would be sold to Punjab at the rates approved by the Regulator and it is an established fact that power from plants established on MOU route is costlier than those awarded through competitive bidding.