JNPT signs pact with Maharashtra’s electricity distribution arm for power supply in port area

Mumbai: The country’s premier container port JNPT on Tuesday said it has signed a pact with the Maharashtra’s electricity distribution arm MSEDCL for power supply in the port area.

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) signed the memorandum of understanding with Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co Ltd (MSEDCL) following its board of trustees’ approval on December 24, the port said in a release.

JNPT has five container terminals that handle over 50 per cent of the total container cargo among the major domestic ports.

With this agreement, the process of legalising electricity distribution once for all is resolved and will help JNPT in delivering its duties towards its stakeholders,” JNPT Chairman Sanjay Sethi said.

The port has allotted land to Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal, Bharat Mumbai Container Terminals and Gateway Terminals India Pvt Ltd on a 30-year lease through a concession agreement, under which JNPT is responsible for providing electricity supply to the terminals, said the release.

With the pact, JNPT becomes the first major port in the country to sign the distribution franchine agreement (DFA) in compliance with the Electricity Act, 2003, and resolve the hurdles in supply of electricity, the government-owned port operator said.

With the support of MSEDCL officials, a separate category for JNPT named as “government/ semi-government” was created for signing the franchisee agreement, which will have large load such as ports and defence, JNPT said in the release.

source: PTI