Govt won’t rethink closure of Bathinda plant: Manpreet
Thursday, 28/12/2017
http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx
CHANDIGARH: Punjab finance minister Manpreet Badal on Wednesday said there is no scope for a rethink on the last week’s cabinet decision to close the Bathinda thermal plant.
Manpreet said this on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting here. The staff of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and the vendors attached with the plant are opposing the move.
“In the past four years, the plant was functional for an average 15 days in a year while incurring monthly expenditure of ₹1,300 crore. The electricity from the plant costs ₹11.5 per unit as compared to ₹2.5 to 3 per unit. therefore, it is not wise to keep making huge expenditure,” he said. He said the government is shifting the staff to the Lehra Mohabbut plant.
‘PPAS WITH PVT PLANTS TO BE REWORKED’
The minister said the power purchase agreements (PPAs) signed during the previous Akali-BJP government with the promoters of three privately owned thermal plants at Talwandi Sabo, Rajpura and Goindwal Sahib will to be reworked. ‘TO START GIVING DEBT WAIVER FROM JAN 7’
He said the government will give debt waiver certificates to 2.5 lakh farmers in Mansa on January 7. Mansa has been chosen for this as the district has recorded highest number of farmer suicides.
WILL BRING OUT WHITE PAPER ON GOVT MOVE’ RUPNAGAR: The All India Power Engineers’ Federation (AIPEF) will bring out a white paper on the Punjab government’s decision to close down the Bathinda thermal plant and two units of the Rupnagar thermal plant.
Talking to mediapersons here, AIPEF chief patron Padamjit Singh said it is a drastic decision which is against the guidelines of the Central Electricity Authority(CEA) as well as the Union ministry of power.
