Engineers demand Torrent Power Agra centre be scrapped

All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) have reiterated their demand for scrapping the electricity distribution franchisee in Agra to Torrent Power alleging huge losses to Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL).

AIPEF has again written to chief minister Mayawati in this regard in succession to their earlier representation in July 2011. The Federation has demanded that the Agra franchisee be immediately scrapped in public interest and keeping the alleged scam and deterioration in the power situation in Taj city, the franchisee in Kanpur be also cancelled. Torrent was awarded the Agra franchisee by UPPCL on April 1, 2010 and later, Kanpur was also awarded to the private company.

AIPEF has claimed that in Agra UPPCL had so far incurred losses of over Rs 53 crore due to breech of agreement terms with Torrent. It has also raised the issue of power arrears of about Rs 1,800 crore of arrears or pre-April 2010 period, which were to be realised by the company.

Federation secretary general, Shailendra Dubey said the losses accrued due to the alleged additional power units supplied to Torrent due to non-compliance of terms of Distribution Franchisee Agreement (DFA).

He charged UPPCL had not been charging extra for excess energy supplied to Torrent until September 2010, when AIPEF raised the issue. Thereafter, UPPCL started realising excess energy cost at a low rate of Rs 2.806/unit. Similarly, the additional units were charged at the rate of Rs 2.89/unit during April-November 2011, which again was very low.

The Federation has been demanding the matter be probed/audited by an independent committee comprising qualified engineers. Meanwhile, Torrent officials could not be reached for comments/their version till the time of filing this report.