Explain Rs 574-cr burden over coal shortage, Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission tells power centre

Bhartesh Singh Thakur
Chandigarh, January 19

The Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) has asked the Haryana Power Purchase Centre (HPPC) to explain the burden of Rs 574 crore in 2021-22 arising out of coal shortage, reduced power availability from coastal Gujarat and Jhajjar thermal power plant, and non-availability of power from Yamunanagar and Hisar thermal power plants.

The HERC held a state advisory committee (SAC) meeting on January 18, where this issue was raised. The HPPC has been asked to apprise the commission regarding original liability, payments made, balance amount and delayed payment surcharge.

Sources said the revenue gap of the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN), Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) was likely to be over Rs 1,000 crore and any mechanism was still not filed by them to bridge the gap. Feedback was taken during a virtual meeting of the SAC on the annual revenue requirement (ARR) petitions of the UHBVN, DHBVN, Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Limited (HVPNL), and Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited (HPGCL).

Sources said the HPGCL had been asked about Rs 400-crore liability, after the signing of an MoU with the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for the transportation cost of wet fly ash.

The Ministry of Power has said they should dispose it by bidding. The HPGCL had not explained how they were disposing the wet fly ash before the MoU and whether they had tried disposing it or not, sources said, adding that these liabilities would adversely affect the consumers.