Poor power infra may cost Himachal heavy

The debt-ridden Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB) is likely to lose Rs 400 crore a year as it has failed to create in time enough power transmission infrastructure.

Experts say in the next two years about 65 mini and micro-hydel projects with an aggregate power capacity of 250 Mw are scheduled to be completed.

However, the state electricity board is yet to start work on building transmission lines in the steep mountain terrain.

According to the model power purchase agreement, companies are to supply power to the board at the rate of Rs 2.87 per unit. The agreement also states that if the board is not able to put in place electricity transmission lines for evacuation of power by the time the hydel project is completed, it will have to compensate the power companies.

 

Around one megawatt of installed capacity generates about 4.5 million units of electricity annually.

Along with having to pay Rs 200 crore for deemed saleable energy to the power companies there are other losses, which the board will have to incur due to poor infrastructure.

Experts feel the power board could have exchanged the surplus power with neighbouring states apart from supplying it in summer at a high rate of Rs 5 per Mw. But, with lack of infrastructure, the entire loss could amount to Rs 400 crore on annual basis in the next year or so.