CERC slaps Rs 3 lakh penalty on Punjab for overdrawing power

PNS | Chandigarh

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has slapped a penalty of Rs 3 lakh to Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) for overdrawing power at low frequency.

Central Electricity Regulatory Commission had issued notice to four Northern States for their non-adherence to specific directions issued by the Northern Regional Load Dispatch Centre (NRLDC) to restrict their power overdrawl during the month of October in the interest of grid security when the frequency was below 49 Hz.

After giving a proper hearing to all the four Northern States and in view of their unsatisfactory answer Central Electricity Regulatory Commission has directed PSEB to pay Rs 3 lakh, while the load dispatch centers in Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir and Rajasthan have been asked to pay penalties of Rs 2.5 lakh, Rs 2 lakh and Rs 1 lakh, respectively.

Last week, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission had imposed a heavy penalty of Rs. 1.5 crore on Tamilnadu State Electricity Board and Karnataka was imposed and Karnatka was imposed a penalty of Rs. 17 lakh.

Meanwhile, Ministry of Power has issued a stern warning to the Northern States for drawing power in excess of their respective schedules especially during low-frequency phases, thus endangering the stability of the grid.