Power penalties jolt industries Power crisis to be

Over by Nov., says CM

Already finding it difficult to bear the burden of FSA (Fuel Surcharge Adjustment) charges, industries are facing a new problem of wrongly charged penalties for overdrawing power. Industries facing penalties say that they have no option but to shut shop. Most units have already paid the penalty after being forced to do so. While the APERC had approved ‘five times’ penalty for over- Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy said, “All power related problems would end by November 2013. We expect a 4300 MW generation from the new Krishnapatnam and Hinduja thermal power stations by then.” Consumers will not be forced to pay FSAs from then on, he said. drawing, industries threaten closure if penalties continue to be calculated as per the whims of officials. The step was taken to provide relief to the industries by giving them power for 18 days continuously, or four days in a week, or daily at 50 per cent load factor. But after three months’ implementation of the R and C measures, units which have not consumed above their prescribed limit, too are facing huge penalties.

“When we were given a choice of power supply, each industry had chosen as per its requirements, but when the penalty bills came, officials failed to take into account the category that a unit had opted for,” said Sanjay Gupta, MD of a city manufacturing unit.

“There are units where power was disconnected. They were forced to pay the amount, bringing units to a brink,” said Pankaj Kedia, director of CGK Steels.