Delhi government has decided not to pay the BSES discoms money under the power subsidy scheme and will adjust it with the dues owed by them to state-run power generation and transmission firms which are facing severe financial crunch.
Delhi Power Minister Satyendra Jain said the government will recover the dues from BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd (BRPL) and BSES Yamuna Power Ltd (BYPL) by adjusting the subsidy component.
The two discoms have a pending dues of nearly Rs 6,000 crore to Delhi Transco Ltd and two state-run power generation companies.
"We are not thinking about it but doing it," Jain said when asked whether government was planning such a step.
He was speaking to reporters after inaugurating an underground transmission line of Delhi Transco Limited, built at a cost of Rs 150 crore, in Tikri Kalan area.
The Delhi government had sent several reminders to the two discoms to clear the dues but to no avail.
The BSES has been maintaining that it was going through a difficult financial condition as it has not been allowed to recover around Rs 10,000 crore in losses due to increase in power purchase cost and low tariff.
"It (the subsidy amount) is definitely going to the power generation companies. We cannot waste money. It is the discoms that have not paid us," Jain said.
In February, the AAP government had announced a 50 per cent subsidy on monthly power consumption of up to 400 units.
The power minister also cautioned the discoms against any power cuts during the summer season.
"We will not have to face any power cuts in the summer season as they (discoms) have promised us that there is no shortage of power. They have given it in writting to our secretary," the minister said.
"It is estimated that our peak power demand will reach around 6200 MW and all the three discoms have said they have arranged around 6500 MW which is more than our requirement," he said.
Jain said government will strictly deal with the discoms if there was long power cuts.
The minister said his department has received complaints about accidents due to overhead transmission lines and promised to shift the lines underground.
The Delhi Transco Limited has laid the new underground 220 KV line to connect newly established 220 KV station at Peeragarhi with the 400KV substation at Tikri Kalan.
Commissioning of the new line is likely to improve power supply in West, Central and North Delhi, officials said.
