Fix responsibility, compensate for ₹100-cr loss: BBMB to PSPCL

CHANDIGARH: The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has urged the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to fix responsibility for the delay in overhauling of a 157MW power generation unit that caused a loss to the tune of ₹100 crore.

In a communication to the PSPCL chairman-cum-managing director A Venu Prasad, BBMB’S financial adviser-cumchief accounts officer Rajinder Kumar said a power-generating machine was handed over to private firm Gogoal Hydro Private Limited in October 2020, and as per the contract, the overhauling was to be completed by March 2021.

“However, the machine of unit 7 has not been handed back to BBMB, leading to generation loss of ₹100 crore at a rate of ₹66 lakh per day. The happened during the peak load in the wake of paddy sowing season. The loss has to be borne by the PSPCL and other partner states,” Kumar wrote.

Prasad, however, said he was not aware of any such communication. “I am writing to PSPCL because it’s a major partner of the BBMB and such lapses cause maximum loss to the state (Punjab),” reads the communication.

The BBMB has brought on record that this is a case of

THE MATTER CAME TO LIGHT WHEN A CASE WAS MOVED FOR ADDITIONAL COST OF ₹37.75 LAKH FOR THE MACHINE’S REPAIR, WHICH WAS OVER AND ABOVE THE CONTRACT VALUE OF ₹1.68 CRORE

gross mismanagement because BBMB chief engineer (generation) Rahul Modi and a deputy chief engineer (not named) from the PSPCL didn’t flag the issue.

“The matter came to light only when a case was moved for additional cost of ₹37.75 lakh for the machine’s repair, which was over and above the contract value of ₹1.68 crore. “Truth is not being revealed,” Modi told HT, adding that the additional cost was proposed with a malafide intention to compensate the private firm for the ₹34-lakh penalty imposed on it.

It is learnt that the BBMB management has been conveyed that the machine is beyond repair and a new will cost ₹25 crore. Kumar suggested that the losses should be recovered from the officers responsible and the private firm undertaking the work.

The Bhakra dam has 10 power generation units. With another unit also under repair, only eight are functional at present.