Power Corporation proposes thermal plant in Mukerian
Umesh Dewan
Tribune News Service

Patiala, June 13
Finally, accepting the long-pending demand of technocrats working with the power corporation, the Board of Directors of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited have given the nod for the setting up of a 1320 MW thermal plant in the public sector.

In a U-turn from its earlier stand, the PSPCL management now says that a thermal plant in the public sector is of paramount importance and in the overall interest of the state and the PSPCL.

The minutes of the meeting between the Whole-Time Directors (WTD) of the PSPCL and representatives of the PSEB Engineers’ Association held on June 11, the corporation has already sent a proposal for the new thermal plant to the state government for approval. The site selection committee has inspected two sites in Mukerian, Hoshiarpur. A request for coal allocation has been sent to the Union Government.

PSEB Engineers’ Association president HS Bedi said: “Since 90 per cent of the cost will be borne by the Power Finance Corporation and the rest by the PSPCL, the state government should have no hesitation in giving approval to the plant.”

Ever since the announcement of the new power generation policy last year, thermal plants were being awarded to private players on the basis of memorandum of understanding (MoU). Since the PSPCL has agreed to set up a thermal plant in the public sector, the PSEB Engineers’ Association has decided to defer its statewide agitation scheduled for June 14.

“In case of delay by the government in giving approval to the proposed plant, we will resume our protest”, said Association general secretary Bhupinder Singh.