CHANDIGARH: Punjab is currently facing a deficit of about 2,000 MW of power thus there have been prolonged power cuts across the state and in June and July the situation is likely to get worse. The farmers and others have been protesting across the state and at few places the people entered the power grids. The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) was unable to make timely payments for the purchase of coal, as the Punjab Government has not paid Rs 11,699 crore to the corporation on account of subsidy bills of free power to farmers and others besides arrears of government departments.
Talking with this newspaper, Ajay Pal Singh Atwal General Secretary of PSEB Engineers Association and Additional Superintending Engineer of PSPCL said that the association has sought more coal linkage for private thermal plants (IPPs) along with upgrading of the Ropar thermal power plant from a sub-critical to
supercritical thermal plant.
The Punjab Government has not paid Rs 11,699 crore to the PSPCL thus it was unable to make timely payments for the purchase of coal. The state government has not paid the subsidy bill of Rs 9,020 crore for the year 2021-22 as it gives free power to the farmers, SC families and others. Also till date Rs. 2,679 crore arrears are due to government departments such as offices of Deputy Commissioners,
Education Department, Irrigation Department, Punjab Police and others, he said.
Atwal said that the state was going through an unprecedented and severe power crisis because of insufficient supply of coal, shutting down of thermal units within the state due to technical glitches at this critical time, non-operationalisation of the Pachhwara coal mine, no increase in power generation
in the public sector and the closure of the 880 MW of state thermal plant at Bathinda and Ropar.
He said that from January 1, 2018, eight units of Bathinda and two units of Ropar were shut down before the time. The unilateral decision to shut down these units without any techno-commercial analysis has exacerbated the power crisis in Punjab. It was stated that these units were a burden on the exchequer.
However, the premature closure of these units has cost the state government dearly and has not saved much money for the state. The power crisis could have been avoided if these units had been available at present.
"Punjab is currently facing a deficit of about 2000 MW. As a result, there have been prolonged power cuts across the state. During the months of June and July, the situation is likely to get worse,’’ he added.
He said that the units at TSPL Talwandi Sabo were not operational and even during
the last summer season, the plant failed to ensure reliable operations. The association demands that an immediate audit of this plant should be conducted to ensure energy security during the coming summer months.
"The PSPCL should set up a 250 MW solar power generation plant on the vacant land of the Bathinda thermal power plant this project can be operated at a very low cost and in less time because of the existing transmission systems and substations at the GNDTP site. This solar plant can be named after Guru Nanak Dev.
The PSPCL should ensure early operationalisation of the Pachhwara coal mine and the
coal linkage with IPPs should be enhanced keeping in view the estimated
generation,’’ said Atwal.