Yamuna Nagar Thermal Plant award runs into controversy
VINOD KUMAR GUPTA
Punjab Newsline
Wednesday, 10 March 2010
Power Ministry awards for early completion, CAG says project delayed
YAMUNA NAGAR: Ministry of Power has awarded Gold Shield to Yamunanagar Thermal Plant for its early completion whereas Comptroller General of India (CAG) report has pulled up state government for delayed commissioning.

As per CAG report for the year ending March 2009 the two units of Yamuna Nagar thermal plant were scheduled to be commissioned in March 2007 and June 2007 but actual commercial operation of units were started from April 14 2008 and June 24 2008.There was a delay of 382 days and 361 days in the commercial run of the units. The units have been provisionally taken over on August 31 2009.

As per CAG report this delay has resulted in generation loss of 22003 lakh units and 20793 lakh units from unit 1 and 2 respectively. The power utility had to purchase 11358 lakh units on short term basis at an average rate of Rs. 6.22 per unit amounting to 622 crores. The over drawl from northern grid amounted to 498 crores at average rate of Rs3.73 per unit.

CAG report further mentions the two units were synchronized on November 13 2007 and March 29 2008 and the after that 14 days trial runs were to be conducted along with Performance guarantee test. The trial runs continued for 154 days for unit 1 and 88 days for unit 2. The cost of furnace oil consumption which was to be around 4 crores during trial run period as per contract but due to long trial runs the actual cost was more than Rs. 108 crore.

The performance guarantee test for two units were to be completed by September 19 2007 and February 19 2008 were pending due to which formal taking over the units is held up.

Even the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission has passed adverse remarks in its tariff order for 2009-10 about the delayed commissioning of the project. The tariff order mentions that “Thermal plant unit number 1 and 2 as reported by HPGCL, are yet to be finally taken over from the EPC contractor pending performance Guarantee test.