Power mismanagement: PSPCL surrendered power and paid for it too

11 July, 2011

This can happen only in Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL). They surrendered power as well as paid for it too.

THE POWER management by PSPCL was at its worst for the week ending on June 26, when the utility had to pay for surrendering its power share.

According to NRPC account for the week ending on June 26, PSPCL surrendered 35.75 lakh units of its share and also paid Rs. 4.31 crore at average rate of Rs. 12.01 per unit. PSPCL was scheduled to draw 6900.79 lakh units but the actual draw was 6865.04 lakh.

The payment was the result of mismanagement by PSPCL authorities when the utility resorted to over drawn of power at high rates and surrendered power at very low rates even negative rates. The power over drawn on June 22, 23 and 24 was 24.79 lakh units, 95.88 lakh units and 71.27 lakh units respectively. The average daily power over drawn rate on these days was Rs. 4.66, Rs. 4.43 and Rs. 3.37 respectively.

On June 26, PSPCL surrendered 134.62 lakh units at Rs. 1.19 per unit, despite closure of 4 thermal units in Punjab. As per official record 2 units of 210 MW each at Ropar Thermal, One unit each at Lehra Mohabatt and Bhatinda were under forced closure due to less demand. On June 25 PSPCL surrendered power 15.10 lakh units at very high frequency at Rs.-0.33 per unit.