Snag in 3rd unit too, Talwandi Sabo thermal plant now shut, gets notice

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, July 9

Even as Punjab is reeling under an acute power shortage due to high demand amid heatwave and ongoing paddy season, another unit of Talwandi Sabo power plant was today shut down. With two of its three units already shut, the plant is now completely non-functional.

A Venu Prasad, CMD, PSPCL, said, “We have been repeatedly directing the plant authorities to ensure availability of all three units in the paddy season. But they have failed to do so. Due to the failure of its third unit, we are facing difficulties in meeting the demand.”

Directing the plant authorities to make all-out efforts to restart generation at the earliest, the PSPCL has issued a notice, asking them to explain why capacity charges should not be deducted for the entire contract year (2021-22), considering non-availability of its units. All categories of consumers across the state are facing power cuts. In a respite, the PSPCL was able to purchase 350 MW power from the exchange at Rs 3.75 per unit and another 531 MW at Rs 3.21 per unit to meet the shortage.

Earlier on Thursday, the corporation had purchased 400 MW from the open market at a staggering Rs 12.40 per unit, one of the highest rates in recent times.

“A lot now depends on the rains. Just one good spell can turnaround the entire situation,” said a top official.