Bengal Frowns At Ereb Chief Action
In a sharp climbdown, the West Bengal government has disassociated itself from the controversial letter written by Eastern Region Electricity Board (EREB) chairman S R Shikdar threatening actions which might endanger the power stations of NTPC.
Shikdar had shot off the letter provoked by the NTPC decision to regulate the supply of power to the eastern region. It shut down several generating units to cut generation and vowed not to bring them back till its arrears were cleared.
This infamous letter from Shikdar, who also happens to be the chairman of West Bengal State Electricity Board, to NTPC chairman Rajendra Singh had promoted the latter to take up the issue with the Union power ministry. Singh said the threat sounded like one coming from extremists.
The state power department has now clarified to the Union power ministry that Shikdar had written the letter wearing the hat of the EREB chairman. The state government, it was emphasised, never gave any brief to WBSEB or Shikdar to write such letters as the WBSEB chairman.
The clarification from the state power department has immensely pleased NTPC. Sources in the corporation said that this amounted to the state government not only disowning the views expressed by Shikdar, but also a virtual disapproval of his issuing threat.
The state government is worried that the views of Shikdar as the EREB chairman are being misunderstood as that of the WBSEB chairman as well.
Shikdar, the state power department said, was concerned about the safety of the eastern region power grid in view of the power regulation by NTPC. There was also the additional worry about extended powercuts during the festival season in Bengal. But, NTPC took exception to Shikdar's harsh words and referred to the issue to the ministry.
The power department's letter has some good news for NTPC. It has assured that WBSEB's current payment of Rs 7 crore a month to NTPC will be increased shortly after the tariff is revised in November.
The letter also reminded the union power ministry that all SEBs faced identical problems regarding their financial health. Though many of them have started taking remedial steps, it will take some time to get results. The letter asked the Centre to initiate measures to help the SEBs in improving their finances.
The letter also promises some unspecified restructuring of WBSEB for overall improvement of its functioning. All these along with the tariff revision should enable the Board clear more of its dues.
WBSEB now makes a monthly payment of Rs 7 crore. This, it claims, is adequate to pay for 2.14 million units of energy NTPC is supposed to supply for WBSEB's own consumption. But, NTPC is raising higher energy bills asking WBSEB and other eastern region power agencies to pay for energy exported to Assam and Andhra Pradesh.
Though such exports are made out of the surplus allocated power surrendered by the eastern region power agencies, NTPC insists that the price for the surplus power should also be paid by them. rtual="/incs/bottom.inc"-->