Renegotiate deals with thermal plants: Navjot Sidhu
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, July 2
Two days after he met senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, former minister Navjot Singh Sidhu today advised Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh to bring down the power cost by renegotiating with private thermal plants instead of imposing power cuts across the state.
In a series of tweets, he asked Captain to bring in a legislation, with retrospective effect, to cap power purchase rates as per those on the National Power Exchange. “By amending the law, these agreements will become null and void,” he said.
“Punjab is buying power at an average Rs 4.54 per unit even as the national average is Rs 3.85 per unit. Chandigarh pays Rs 3.44 per unit. Punjab is paying Rs 5-8 per unit to the three private thermal plants because of its over-dependence on these plants, power purchase agreements (PPAs) with whom were signed by the SAD-BJP government. Till 2020, Punjab has already paid Rs 5,400 crore due to ‘faulty’ clauses in these agreements and is expected to pay Rs 65,000 crore as fixed charges,” Sidhu claimed.
He said Punjab could buypower from the national grid at much cheaper rates.
His pending Bill in Asr is Rs 8.74 lakh
Navjot Sidhu’s pending bill for his Amritsar house is Rs 8.74 lakh. PSPCL Superintending Engineer GS Khaira said: “The bill has been pending for over eight months. Sidhu owed us Rs 17,62,742. He paid about Rs 10 lakh in March. He had some objections over the surcharge. The case is being reviewed.” Despite several attempts, Sidhu could not be contacted. TNS
