Chief Engineer of Ropar thermal plant suspended

The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) management has placed under suspension Harish Sharma, Chief Engineer of the Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant, Ropar. The action comes amid allegations that the cost of power generation at the plant was significantly higher than at other thermal plants in the state, causing losses of several crores to the corporation.

As per the suspension order, the decision has been taken under Regulation 4(1) of the Punishment and Appeal Regulation, 1971. The Chief Engineer, who was also overseeing operations at Shri Guru Amardas Thermal Power Plant, Goindwal Sahib, will remain suspended pending inquiry. His headquarters during the suspension would be the PSPCL Head Office, Patiala.

According to sources, despite the PSPCL having its own coalmine at Pachhwara in Jharkhand, the cost of generation at Ropar and Goindwal Sahib plants ranged from Rs 0.75 to Rs 1.25 per unit higher than other private plants, prompting the management to initiate disciplinary action.

However, the decision has triggered strong opposition from the Power Engineers Association, which termed the move arbitrary and unjustified.

PSPCL Engineers Association spokesperson Vinod Gupta said comparing the fuel cost of the Ropar thermal plant with modern private supercritical plants such as Talwandi Sabo and Rajpura was technically illogical.

“It is ridiculous to compare average fuel consumption of an old subcritical plant like GGSSTP with supercritical private plants. The technology, efficiency, and operating conditions are entirely different,” Gupta said.

“A Chief Engineer-level officer has been suspended without a proper inquiry. Such arbitrary action demoralises the technical staff and senior engineers who have kept these plants running despite adverse conditions,” Gupta added.