Punjab Newsline
CERC imposes penalty of Rs. 4.62 crore on UPPCL
VINOD KUMAR GUPTA
Monday, 09 November 2009
NEW DELHI: Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has imposed a penalty of Rs. four crore and sixty-two lakh on UPPCL for overdrawing power from northern grid in June endangering the grid stability.

Northern Regional Load Dispatch Center (NRLDC) had reported that UPPCL over-drew huge quantum of electricity from the regional grid during as many as 472 time-blocks, at frequency below 49.2 Hz, the specified threshold limit, in contravention of the provisions of the Indian Electricity Grid Code during June 11 to June 19 this year despite repeated messages and advice from NRLDC to curtail over-drawls UPPCL sought to justify the over-drawls by saying that power demand has increased against power availability, failure of bilateral arrangements and agreements, and non-establishment of the load dispatch center.

UPPCL further said that the power utility was subjected to control of the State Government; it was amenable to the State Government’s pressure and could not afford to defy that Government’s orders.
NRLDC maintained that UPPCL was habitually overdrawing from the regional grid and on a number of occasions the extent of over-drawl was in the range of 1500-2000 MW

CERC found UPPCL guilty of contravention of the provisions of the Grid Code for the reason of reckless over-drawl at frequency below the specified limit of 49.2 Hz. CERC imposed maximum penalty of Rs one lakh prescribed under Section 142 of the Act to meet the ends of justice.