State ends up getting less than purchase price
Manish Sirhindi
Tribune News Service

Panipat, August 4
The state power utilities, despite having surrendered power to the northern grid in view of less demand in the state, ended up making no profits like the private discoms in Delhi as they bought power at higher rates and surrendered it to the grid at lower rates.

For the week ending June 26, the state surrendered 31.32 lakh units out of its weekly allocated share of 3990.87246 lakh units . According to a report prepared by the Northern Region Power Committee (NRPC), Haryana drew 3959.55 lakh units for which it had to pay Rs 382.26033 lakh to the central authorities.

According to sources, the state bought power at an average rate of Rs 4 to Rs 5 a unit. On June 26, it surrendered 110.31 lakh units to the grid for which it was paid Rs 91.16658 lakh at an average rate of around 88 paise a unit. On June 21, the power utilities surrendered 24.068 lakh units for which they fetched Rs 60.97739 lakh at an average rate of Rs 2.5 a unit. On June 20, 22, 23, 24 and 25, the state had to restore to overdrawing of power to meet the energy demand of the state.

Not only this, the power surrendered by the state had been generated through thermal units. The power costs around Rs 3 to Rs 4 a unit. The sources in the power utilities stated that when the state surrendered thermal power for 88 paise or Rs 2.5 a unit, it was bound to incur loss.

Meanwhile, the discoms in Delhi, which do not produce even a single unit of power, secured a profit of Rs 943.38416 lakh by surrendering 297.096 lakh units out of its allocated share of 5250.88754 LUs, which, according to the power experts, was far beyond the power requirements of the national capital.