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Jyotsna Bhatnagar
Allahabad, Mar 12: Faced with ever-mounting dues and fresh threats issued by the Powergrid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) to withdraw power supply to Uttar Pradesh from the first week of April if it fails to cough up its Rs 125 crore outstandings, a beleaguered and ailing UP State Electricity Board (UPSEB) is now toying with the idea of handing over the Tanda power station in a desperate attempt to salvage itself.
Highly placed sources in the state energy department revealed that faced with periodic threats from the power behemoth NTPC (National Thermal Power corporation) on the issue of outstandings and of late the threat from PGCIL to withdraw power supply has forced the UPSEB to contemplate handing over the Tanda power station to NTPC in lieu of payment for outstandings. It may be mentioned that the ailing state electricity board had in November last also agreed in principle to hand over the operational 3x30 MW Maneri Bhali stage I hydel power project as well as the languishing 4x76 mw stage II ofthe project to NTPC in lieu of outstanding dues.
And while the acquisition of Maneri Bhali would have marked NTPC's maiden foray into the hydel power sector, nothing concrete has been thus far by the UPSEB in terms of actual handing over of the project to the public-sector power major. In fact, highly placed sources in NTPC when contacted told The Financial Express that the UP government had placed the issue on the back burner after it had received the draft of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) sent by the NTPC a couple of months ago. ``Instead of signing the MOU with us the UP government is pleading for a relook at the whole issue on the grounds that Maneri Bhali would fall under the proposed new Uttaranchal state,'' revealed an NTPC official. In view of this turn of events, the UPSEB is now toying with the idea of handing over the Tanda thermal project to the NTPC. It may be recalled that the NTPC had earlier taken over the UPSEB's sole operational unit some years ago, namely the Feroze Gandhi ThermalPower Project in Unchahar from the ailing state electricity board in lieu of outstandings.
Advisors appointed to improve outlook
With a view to making the bankrupt UPSEB commercially viable and to streamline its functioning, advisors have been appointed to redeem the state from electricity crisis, sources said in Lucknow on Friday.
Sources told UNI that these advisors would also be responsible to evaluate the prospects of both long and short-term investments in the state. Based on reports of these advisors the government would initiate action.
To meet emergency situations and to upgrade and strengthen the transmission and distribution system, a Rs 3,000 crore plan has been drafted. It is under the state government's active consideration.As part of its reorganisation on the first phase the work for privatisation of the Muradabad distribution area is being processed.
Under the electricity regulatory commissions Act 1998, formation of a state electricity regulatory commission formation wasmooted following which the commission was formed, they added.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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