Punjab inks two agreements to buy 1,200 MW solar power from SJVN – EQ Mag
CM Bhagwant Mann said free electricity to all farmers will continue as before
State-owned SJVN Ltd has inked two pacts with Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) to supply 1,200 MW of solar power from its projects, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said here on Thursday.
Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam signed two power purchase agreements (PPAs) for 1,200 MW solar power recently.
PSPCL had floated tenders for procurement of power from solar projects located in Punjab and other parts of the country.
SJVN Green Energy Limited (SGEL), SJVN’s arm, proposed the rate of Rs 2.53 per unit for the supply of 1,000 MW and Rs 2.75 per unit for another 200 MW.
“Earlier bidding was of Rs 2.59 per unit but it was negotiated and brought at Rs 2.53,” he said.
For 200 MW the bid had proposed the rate of Rs 2.79 per unit but it was finally agreed at Rs 2.75 per unit, Mann said, adding that the state government will save Rs 431 crore through this negotiation.
The rates have been fixed for 25 years and PSPCL will not pay any transmission charges and for transmission losses.
Lashing out at previous governments, the chief minister said that from 2007-2017 none of the power supply pacts was below the rate of Rs 7 per unit.
“When any project or scheme is launched for the people, then it becomes duty of government to inform public about it in detail.
“There should be transparency. But the previous regimes used to keep the public in dark. Our government believes in transparency and the agreements inked with the companies have been made public unlike past when these were veiled in secrecy,” he added.
Mann further said that Punjab will soon become the first state to implement policy for banking power. “We are also going to implement the power banking policy soon,” he said.
To further promote clean energy and provide maximum power to agricultural tubewells, PSPCL has floated more tenders to procure 2,500 MW solar power, the chief minister said.
SJVN is already executing a 100-MW solar project at the cost of about Rs 545 crore in Punjab.
Mann described the 1,200-MW agreement as the biggest solar power purchase pact in the country.
When asked that the Public Accounts Committee of the state assembly has recommended withdrawal of the provision of free power for big farmers, Mann said that free electricity to all the farmers will continue as before.
There is no proposal to levy any charge for big farmers or other farmers, he said and added that the state has no dearth of funds and the government pays the subsidy amount to PSPCL to ensure free electricity to farmers.
The state government is also heading towards purchasing the Goindwal power plant and efforts are being made to revise the agreement clauses with other private thermal plants in the state, Mann said.
On another issue, the chief minister said that his government is making all-out efforts to ensure optimum utilisation of canal water and conserve the groundwater.
As part of efforts towards water conservation, Mann said that the state government will soon merge the irrigation, water resources and other water related departments.
