Sasan UMPP: SC refuses to stay APTEL's order on dues recovery

The Supreme Court today refused to stay an order of the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity that allowed Reliance Power-promoted Sasan Ultra Mega Power Project (UMPP) to recover Rs 1,050 crore dues from procurer states and Tata Power Distribution Company.
A bench comprising Justices Kurian Joseph and R F Nariman did not interfere with the tribunal's order and sought replies from UMPP on a bunch of appeals filed by procurers.
Those who have challenged the March 31 order of the tribunal include Ajmer Vidyut Vitran Nigam, MP Management Company, Haryana Power Generation Corporation (now Haryana Power Purchase Centre), U.P Power Corporation, Punjab State Power Corporation, besides the All India Power Engineers Federation.

The Tata Power Distribution Ltd, and Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd have also challenged the order of the tribunal.
The Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) in its March 31 order had upheld the Sasan Power Ltd's commercial operational date (COD) claim that the first unit of 660 MW started its commercial operation on March 31, 2013 and directed procurers to pay Rs 1050 crore to the UMPP.
The bench posted the matter for further hearing after a month.
Reliance Power's Sasan Ultra Mega Power Project, located in Singrauli district of Madhya Pradesh, is an integrated power plant-cum-coal mining project at a single location, involving an investment of over Rs 27,000 crore.