Kiran Choudhry, Leader of the Haryana Congress Legislature Party, has demanded probe into the purchase of power by the BJP Government, led by Mr Manohar Lal Khattar, at more than five times the cost at which it is available in IEX spot power market, and more than two-and-a-half times the cost of generation by state’s power plants.In a statement issued here today, the former excise and taxation minister questioned the purchase of power at exorbitant rates, especially when in the IEX spot power market, it could be had for Rs 2.32 per unit, 20 per cent lower that the price that prevailed in April, 2016. The average Area Clearing Price (ACP), the price at which settlement takes place, came down across all states and varied from Rs 2.06 per unit to Rs 2.78 per unit.
Mrs Choudhry said in 2015-16, Haryana purchased 1052.18 million units (MUs) at a whopping Rs 11.54 per unit under the long-term power purchase agreement even as power from state’s own plants cost between Rs 4.32 and Rs 4.48 per unit. What compounded the matter was that more power was purchased at high rates due to the failure of the Power Department to prepare exact estimates of the demand.In 2015-16, the per unit cost of Panipat thermal station ranged from Rs 4.32 to Rs 4.48, while at Yamunangar thermal station it was Rs 4.26 and at Khedar Rs 4.32. “How come the powers that be preferred to buy power at more than two-and-a-half times the price from outside and also failed to prepare due estimates of the demand.“The Chief Minister should order a high-level probe into the colossal wastage of tax payer’s money in the over-purchase of power that too at high rates,” she demanded.