Bring down losses, Ramesh warns pvt power companies
Debabrata Mohanty Posted: Jan 22, 2009 at 0052 hrs IST

Bhubaneswar: Union Minister of State for Power and Commerce Jairam Ramesh today trained his guns on Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Energy for failing to bring down commercial and technical losses while distributing power in Orissa. Reliance Energy owns Nesco, Southco and Wesco, three of the four private power distribution companies operating in Orissa after the state became the pioneer in power reforms.

“Even though we have privatised distribution of power in Orissa the losses are unacceptably high. Judged by the losses, power-sector privatisation in Orissa has been a failure and we have to now really send strong signals to private companies that you must reduce your losses,” Ramesh said here today.

The union minister said aggregate technical and commercial loss of Cesu is 47 per cent, Nesco 33 per cent, Southco 42 per cent and Wesco 37 per cent whie the all India average in T&D loss is 34 per cent. “In neghbouring Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution Limited which covers 5 districts, has managed to bring down the losses to 12 per cent,” he said.
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