Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 6 (IANS) Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan on Friday strongly rejected Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan’s allegations over the state’s power purchase decisions, saying his intervention was based on official records and the need to ensure uninterrupted power supply.
In a detailed rebuttal, Satheesan said Vijayan’s claim that the Himachal Pradesh power offer was reduced from Rs 14.50 to Rs 12.50 per unit was factually incorrect.
He pointed out that the former KSEB Chairman had clearly recorded in a note dated October 29 that the Rs 12.50 tariff could not be treated as confirmed unless it was expressly accepted in writing by the competent Himachal Pradesh authority.
“Where did the Leader of the Opposition obtain a proposal which even KSEB says it has not received? He should disclose it,” Satheesan said.
He also questioned the claim that Himachal had offered power at Rs 12.50, pointing out that documents available with KSEB and the Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission showed that Rajasthan had approved a power purchase agreement with Himachal on October 17 at Rs 15.50 per unit.
The Chief Minister said the government had compared the Himachal proposal with the offer from GNA before taking a decision.
The assessment was based on the availability of power during non-solar and peak hours, when Kerala’s demand was highest.
According to the KSEB Chairman’s note, GNA would supply 385 million units more than the Himachal arrangement during non-solar hours.
Himachal’s average supply during the evening peak hours of 6.30 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. in December to March would also be considerably lower than the 500 MW offered by GNA.
Satheesan said the Himachal tariff was above the Rs 10 per unit ceiling fixed by the Electricity Regulatory Commission and would impose an additional burden on the state.
The daytime supply from GNA would also help Kerala conserve hydel power for the summer months, he said.
Rejecting the allegation that the state had artificially created a power shortage, Satheesan cited the former KSEB Chairman’s warning that deficient rainfall, limited hydel availability, and El Nino conditions could force prolonged power cuts, including during summer, if a firm power supply deal was not secured.
He said six competitive tenders through the Union Power Ministry’s DEEP portal had failed to secure the required power.
Kerala had faced power cuts in September and had to purchase electricity from other states and public sector agencies in October to avoid further cuts.
Satheesan also denied bypassing the Electricity Minister or interfering improperly in official files.
The file had been sent to him by the minister for a decision, he said, adding that he had examined the financial implications before taking a call.
Taking a swipe at Vijayan, Satheesan recalled that the previous LDF government had scrapped a 25-year UDF era power purchase agreement at Rs 4.29 per unit after eight years and later bought power from private agencies at rates ranging from Rs 8 to Rs 14.
“No decision that imposes an additional financial burden on the people will be taken by this government,” he said.
–IANS
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