Facing criticism for not providing power at cheaper rates, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said the tariff at which electricity is purchased from private thermal plants has been approved by the state's sectoral regulator PSERC.
Replying to the calling attention motion raised by Leader of Opposition Sunil Kumar Jakhar on the last day of the budget session, Badal said the data provided by Jakhar was neither official nor based on actual figures.
"At present, two private thermal plants NPL Rajpura and TSPL Talwandi Sabo are supplying power in Punjab. These plants were selected through a global bidding as per case-II bidding policy of the union ministry of power and the PPA to purchase of power was signed with them only after approval by the PSERC (Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission)," Badal said.
Quoting the actual figures, Badal said state government has purchased power from private thermal plants at the rate of Rs 3.59 per unit during 2013-14 and Rs 3.84 per unit during 2014-15 as per power purchase agreement as approved by PSERC.
He said the marginal increase in rate was fixed by PSERC on the basis of increase in coal and transportation charges.
Badal said Punjab has enhanced electricity rates much less as compared to other states. He informed that Punjab has increased power rates only by 2.74 per cent whereas Uttar Pradesh increased the rates by 40 per cent, Madhya Pradesh by 14 per cent and Delhi by 28 per cent.
Comparing the power rates being levied on heavy industry, Badal said Punjab has been charging Rs 7.4 per unit against Rs 8.53 by Haryana, Rs 10.18 by Delhi, Rs 9.50 by Maharashtra and Rs 8.14 by Madhya Pradesh.
The Deputy CM said the tariff orders of PSERC for the current year were awaited. It is expected that this would be a "balanced order" which would take into account the interests of power sector as well as consumers.
Earlier, Jakhar claimed that Punjab government had failed to provide cheap power as it was claimed by it through setting up of new power units in the state.
Jakhar said consumers are getting power bill in the range of Rs 4 to 6 per unit despite the state government signing the tariff agreement with private power producers at a rate of less than Rs 3 per unit.
