Reduced power from hydro projects: Brar
HT correspondent
RUPNAGAR:

Punjab State Electricity Board chairman H.S. Brar has expressed con- cern over the reduced power availability from various hydro plants of the region this year.
Addressing a press confer- ence at Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant, he said the power generation at vari- ous hydro plants had reduced considerably due to the dwin- dling water level in the reser- voirs. As a result, Punjab was getting less power from these plants than previous years.

He said Punjab had got 25.4 lakh units from Bhakra Dam powerhouses on Friday as com- pared to 42.95 lakh units received on the corresponding day last year.

Similarly, Punjab received only .8 lakh units of power from Pong Dam powerhouses as against 2.6 lakh units received last year. It received 1.1 lakh units from Mukerian as against 9.49 last year.

He said the problems of PSEB in meeting the demand of power had somewhat increased due to reduced availability from the hydro plants.

He said the power demand had touched 5,508 MW as against 4,239 MW on the cor- responding day last year.

Despite various problems, the PSEB had taken various steps to ensure improved sup- ply, he said.

It had made arrangements to purchase power worth Rs 1,100 crore. Besides, it would receive power from other states under banking arrangements, he added.

Brar evaded replies to ques- tions regarding the poor finan- cial position of PSEB.

He also did not speak on the unbundling of PSEB, saying it would be decided by the state government.

Brar expressed happiness over the record 10,056.35 mil- lion unit generation during 2009-10 by Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant, which has completed 25 years of its commissioning.He felicitated the staff and engineers and announced a prize of Rs 2 lakh.