Legacy to burden: Fate of staterun thermal plants being sealed ‘in haste’
Cabinet 3member panel led by minister Brahm Mohindra to give recommendations, to meet on Oct 12
CHANDIGARH:From being “temples of a modern India”, and symbols of Punjab’s self-dependence, to being termed mere burden, all three government-owned thermal power generation plants in the state are now staring at closure. However, many see the proposal of the state government to shut the plants — Bathinda, Lehra Mohabbat near the city, and Rupnagar — as a step in haste and devoid of logic.
A surplus-power scenario, and the fixed cost being paid by the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to the three private plants even if not drawing power, are among reasons cited by government officials behind the proposal. And, of course, the state plants turning old. The first unit of the Bathinda plant was commissioned in 1974.
Closure will lead to retrenchment of 6,300 regular and contractual employees. However, as per the book value, these plants have assets worth Rs 9,000 crore.
On August 24, the council of ministers tabled a proposal and formed a three-member sub-committee led by health minister Brahm Mohindra to give recommendations in two weeks, but so far the panel has not met. It is expected to meet on October 12. Secretary, power, and chairmancum-managing director of the PSPCL, A Venuprasad, simply said the government has left the decision to this sub-committee.
‘LIFE LEFT’
However, chief patron of All India Power Engineers Federation Padamjit Singh decried the plan: “There’s no need to dismantle the Bathinda plant as Rs 750 crore was invested in renovation and modernisation, and more than 50% life of the renovated plant remains.”
Padamjit, who retired as engineer-in-chief from the erstwhile Punjab State Electricity Board that later was bifurcated, added that in case of the Rupnagar plant, an alternative could be to install two units each of 800 MW or of 660 MW of supercritical technology in place of the current two units of 210 MW each. “Unless the supercritical proposal is finalised, status quo should be maintained at Rupnagar as these units are fully operational,” he said.
As for Lehra Mohabbat, he said its useful life is remaining and the plant is running at better than specified efficiency.
PRIVATE MODE
In five years, three private thermal plants too have come up in Punjab with a total generation capacity of 3,920 MW. These are the 1,400 MW plant at Rajpura, 1,980 MW at Talwandi Sabo, and 540 MW at Goindwal Sahib. The state government says these plants are more efficient and economical.
However, the PSEB Engineers Association has termed the move hasty, and said it will erode state property worth thousands of crores. It has demanded a white paper from the government to justify its stand. It has expressly “warned” the government against “total reliance” on the private sector.
ENGINEERS’ ASSN HAS SAID CLOSURE WILL ERODE STATE PROPERTY WORTH CRORES; HAS WARNED GOVERNMENT AGAINST RELIANCE ON THE PRIVATE SECTOR