THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amid the row over the power purchase deal, Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan and Chief Minister V D Satheesan traded charges over the government decision to go for short-term power purchase through the GNA Energy platform. While Pinarayi accused the government of creating artificial power shortage under the pretext of a crisis, Satheesan rejected the allegation saying the KSEB had warned that the state could face power cuts if the available power was not secured.
Initiating the attack on Friday morning, Pinarayi termed the power purchase deal suspicious and urged the government to release all documents related to the GNA deal.
“It should be examined whether the government’s actions are aimed at protecting corporate interests. Usually, KSEB takes decisions on matters related to power procurement. The government should intervene only if the board makes a wrong decision. However, the CM is taking a position that contradicts both the power minister and the KSEB,” Pinarayi said.
Dismissing the chief minister’s statement made on Wednesday that the previous LDF government had purchased power through the GNA platform, Pinarayi clarified that the LDF government had not bought electricity from the company.
“The CM is trying to mislead the public,” he said.
He also alleged that GNA was facing a SEBI probe.
“According to the insider trading case, GNA is alleged to have leaked sensitive information from the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission to make windfall profits by manipulating the shares of the Indian Energy Exchange. The CM is showing undue interest in an establishment facing such an investigation,” Pinarayi said.
Later in the day, Satheesan came up with a detailed statement dismissing the allegations over the deal.
“The KSEB chairman, whom the opposition leader himself praised as an outstanding officer, had contradicted Pinarayi’s claim that Himachal Pradesh had offered to reduce the rate from Rs 14.50 per unit to Rs 12.50. As per the officer, the HP government had not given any such undertaking.
This makes clear that HP authorities have not given KSEB any assurance that they would supply electricity at Rs 12.50 per unit. Where did the opposition obtain the proposal, which even KSEB says it has not received? You must disclose it. If required, I am ready to release the documents related to the power purchase from GNA,” the chief minister said.
He also rejected Pinarayi’s charge that the power crisis was being artificially created.
“If your argument that electricity is available in the open market at Rs 5 per unit is accepted, the cost of power from HP would work out to Rs 9.50 per unit, compared to Rs 3.50 per unit through GNA. The government took the decision keeping the interests of the state in mind.
The Himachal contract was above the maximum tariff of Rs 10 per unit fixed by the Regulatory Commission. The additional electricity available from GNA during daytime would also enable Keralam to regulate hydel power generation and conserve water for the summer months,” Satheesan said.
The chief minister also questioned the allegation that he had intervened in the matter by bypassing the power minister.
“You accused the CMO of controlling the movement of files. Since the opposition leader did not have access to information about the movement of files, how could he make such an allegation? The file was sent to me by the power minister for a decision,” he said.