PSEB engineers flay decision of state power utilities

"With the recent decision taken by managements of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited (PSTCL), now prior sanction of Punjab government is required for upgradation and creation of posts which is against the concept of creating corporate entities to grant it full freedom for running its affairs," president, Punjab State Electricity Board Engineers' Association, Baldev Singh Sran told reporters here.

To represent the state government's point of view on any important decision, two government nominees including Power Secretary and Finance Secretary have been inducted into the Board of Directors of both PSPCL and PSTCL, he said.

Sran further chastised PSPCL management for not creating the adequate infrastructure for strengthening of transmission and distribution system to ensure quality supply and service to consumers.

"5,000 MW of generation is likely to be added in the state in the next couple of years and matching sub-transmission or transmission and distribution and other infrastructure is required to be created on war footing for evacuating additional generation," he pointed out.

The additional power will not reach the general public in case adequate transmission and distribution (T&D) system is not created immediately, he said.

Further, the existing T&D system is excessively overloaded and obsolete which needs immediate augmentation and upgradation, the president added.