Will lose R1,000 cr to open access: PSPCL
Gurpreet Singh Nibber
CHANDIGARH

HEFTY SUM Punjab has 240 high-end power consumers ( )

We have no option but to impose cross subsidy charges; otherwise 60 lakh consumers of our corporation would suffer KD CHAUDHARI PSPCL chairman
: The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) is apprehending a loss of Rs 1,000 crore in the ongoing financial year due to power drawn by big industrial units through the open access system. The PSPCL has said this in a communiqué to the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) sent on Tuesday.

Open access system allows high-end consumers to get power from sources other than the state corporation. The corporation is bound to reimburse such consumers for the unutilised part of the power thus purchased.

Punjab has the highest number of such consumers at 240.
The system of open access started in Punjab two years ago and the state has the maximum number of consumers using it, 240; and there are over 30 more in line.

The PSPCL has demanded imposition of a cross-subsidy surcharge of Rs 2.26 on each unit of power drawn by the big consumers under the open access system.

“We have no option but to impose cross subsidy charges; otherwise 60 lakh consumers of our corporation would suffer,“ said PSPCL chairman KD Chaudhari.

Officials in the power corporation said that industrial units draw cheap power through power traders by bargaining for cheap rates, and end up drawing up to 800 megawatts, which leads to fluctuation in the system.

“Also there is no timeframe fixed for drawing power through o