UP govt wants Centre to suspend power bundling policy

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to suspend Union Power Ministry's decision to bundle power generated by coal-based units of NTPC with its renewable energy.
"The CM has written a letter to the PM in this regard," an official spokesperson said here.
In his letter, Akhilesh Yadav has said that he has come to know that to increase renewable energy the central government was installing new solar power generation units.
He said that under this bundling of power generated by coal based units, which have completed 25 years utility, would be done with solar based units being set up by NTPC.

The CM said the Centre had taken a policy decision in this regard on July 16.
He said that it has been stated to bundle 3000 MW solar power being generated by NTPC with 1700 MW being generated by Singrauli thermal plant.

Akhilesh said that if bundling was done then rate at which power was being purchased from Singrauli would increase and the state would be forced to purcahse power at the rate of Rs 7 to Rs 8 per unit.
He said that under regulatory structure UP was already complying with conditions for purchasing solar power.
Requesting the PM to intervene, the CM has requested him to direct the central ministry to suspend bundling policy as of now.

He said that the ministry should also be directed to consult the states before implementing the scheme.