Punjab govt creates history on the beginning of 2024; first time in India a private thermal plant acquired by a state sector-PSEBEA
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ January 1,2024
PSEB Engineers’ Association (PSEBEA) welcomes the decision of the State Government to acquire GVK Thermal Plant, Goindwal Sahib which has been cleared by national law tribunal. Now the sale process will be cleared by competition commission and PSERC in due course of time.
Association congratulates the dynamic and visionary leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann , Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Power Minister Harbhajan Singh and Gurmeet Singh Agri Minister who accepted the professional and technically sound advice of the professionals.
Ajaypal Singh Atwal, General Secretary said that this is the first time in the country where a private thermal plant has been acquired by the state sector. Punjab government deserved kudos for this and having accepted the professional and technically sound advice of the professionals.
The acquisition of GVK thermal plant at a competitive cost of Rs 2 crores per MW will ensure reliable and cost effective power supply to the consumers .PSPCL management under the leadership of Baldev Singh Sran deserves a special mention for this task.
GVK thermal always faced coal supply problems and with this acquisition of the plant under the state sector, Punjab will also save considerable cost by utilising coal from Pachwara Coal mine of PSPCL, thereby reducing cost per unit of electricity for consumers.
The plant load factor (PLF ) of this plant will improve after acquisition as units with similar make and technology under the state sector. The PPA which is highly skewed in favour of the private player and its acquisition by PSPCL would mitigate future problems like unwarranted litigation. The surplus land of the project can be utilised in public interest by installing supercritical units under the state sector.
PSPCL should deploy its own engineers in time so that the plant can be made ready to meet the power demand during paddy season.
Punjab govt creates history on the beginning of 2024; first time in India a private thermal plant acquired by a state sector-PSEBEA. Acquiring this plant has considerable potential to ensure reliable and cost effective power generation for the people of Punjab provided the interests of the people of Punjab are kept above petty private interests.
