Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission allows purchase of 500 MW for 3 yrs

Tribune News Service

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Chandigarh, May 5

After the Power Department’s review petition, the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC), in an interim order, has allowed the purchase of 500 MW of power from two vendors round the clock for three years.

However, one of the power vendors, MB Power Madhya Pradesh Ltd, has backed out of the deal though negotiations in this regard were on, said a senior officer.

The Haryana Power Purchase Centre (HPPC) had filed the review petition, seeking a review of the Commission’s order dated April 27 wherein the purchase of power was allowed only from April to October each year, for a period of three years, and not round the clock as prayed.

The power vendors, M/s RKM Powergen Pvt Ltd and M/s MB Power Madhya Pradesh Ltd, also did not agree to the conditions imposed by the HERC. The HPPC has also sought the expunging of remarks passed against them in the order as the Commission had pulled them up for not doing enough to meet the current power shortage and approaching them for power source and tariff approvals at the eleventh hour.

During a hearing on the review petition on May 4, the HPPC counsel Samir Malik submitted that bonafide efforts were made to procure power anticipating the surge in demand as well as the supply constraints. He added that the situation “that has now arisen could not have been mathematically anticipated” and prayed for expunging disparaging remarks.

On power supply shortage, the HPPC told the Commission that the situation had further aggravated due to the curtailment of generation and supply by Lanco Amarkantak Unit-II, discontinuation of supply from Baglihar Hydro Electric Power, and reduction in supply from GMR as well as the continuation of stay on supply of power from Dadri Thermal (Unit-II) to Haryana by the Delhi High Court.

After hearing the arguments, the Commission observed, “At this stage, the prime concern of this Commission is the interest of the electricity consumers of Haryana. Reportedly, the scheduled power cut is for about six to eight hours per day and there could also be unscheduled power cuts. Such disruption in power supply, which is the lifeline, besides inconvenience and loss of productivity may also lead to law and order problems in the state.”

MB Power was to supply 150 MW at Rs 5.7 per KWhr, while M/s RKM PowerGen will supply 350 MW at Rs 5.75 KWhr. HPPC arranges short-term and long-term power on behalf of Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam.

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