Nod awaited to increase power generation by 800 MW

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 9

The state government has been sitting on a proposal to increase the power generation capacity for the past one year.

Sources said the Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited (HGPCL) authorities had sent a proposal to the state government a year ago to increase the power generation by 800 MW of Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Plant (600 MW), Yamunanagar, and Panipat Thermal Power Station (920 MW), Panipat. The Panipat plant had recently lost 440 MW after four units were shut down.

“We have just sought the expansion of already existing projects. The state government is not keen despite having all required land, water and other resources for the reasons best know to the higher authorities,” said a senior officer of the power department.

Presently, the government is meeting the power demand by purchasing power from private producers and the Central government power sources.

MKV Rama Rao. Managing Director, Haryana Power Generation Corporation LimitedHPGCL, confirmed that the proposal had been pending with the state government for the past one year.

“Many discussions have taken place over the proposal to increase power generation capacity of both the stations by 800 MW,” he said.

Power experts say dependence on purchase and not increasing own power are not wise decisions. They say that presently, the state is getting power at cheaper rates, but as the demand is increasing across the country, Haryana will not get power at the cheaper rates.

They said the government should make efforts keep on increasing its own generation capacity. A recent report of the Central Electricity Authority has predicted that northern, eastern and north-eastern regions are likely to face energy shortage of 1.8 per cent, 10.3 per cent and 8.3 per cent, respectively during the current financial year.