CAG report blames thermal plant delay on govt
Kiran Deep
Tribune News Service

Yamunanagar, March 10
In a setback to the state government, a report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG) has held the government responsible for the delay in the commissioning of two units of 300 MW each of the Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Plant, Yamunanagar, and for causing a loss of Rs 622 crore to the state.

Unit-1 and unit-2 of the Yamunanagar thermal plant were scheduled to be commissioned in March 2007 and June 2007, respectively.

However, the commercial operations started on April 14, 2008, and June 24, 2008.

Ironically, recently the Union Ministry of Power had awarded a “golden shield” to the thermal plant for its early completion.

While pointing out the huge loss caused due to the delay in the commissioning of the project, the CAG report, released this week, highlighted that there was a delay of 382 days and 361 days, respectively, in the commercial operations of the units.

The delay has resulted in a generation loss of 22,003 lakh units and 20,793 lakh units from unit-1 and unit-2, respectively. The power utility had to purchase 11,358 lakh units on a short-term basis at an average rate of Rs 6.22 per unit amounting to Rs 622 core.

The overdrawl from the northern grid amounted to an astounding Rs 498 crore at an average rate of Rs 3.73 per unit.