'Ready to cancel all other purchases, if Centre supplies cheap power'

In reply to State BJP President B S Yeddyurappa's allegation that the State Government is not purchasing power at a rate of Rs 2.50 per unit though the Union Government is ready for that, Energy Minister D K Shivakumar stated that he is ready to take a delegation to the Centre under the leadership of Mr Yeddyurappa himself, if the Centre is ready to supply power at that rate.

He told media persons at Hubballi Airport on Monday that Mr Yeddyurappa is trying to misguide the people, and he should stop playing such politics, Mr Shivakumar said.

The Centre has not offered power at a rate of Rs 2.50 per unit to the State in recent years. In 2015-16, it offered 200 MW of power at a rate of Rs 6.50 per unit, but the State Government did not accept that. If the Centre is now ready to supply power at a rate of Rs 2.50 per unit including the corridor cost, the State government is ready to cancel all its purchases, and get all power from the Centre itself, he challenged.

Existing power allocation from various central generating stations is 3,222 MW, while the rate differs with each station. Transmission charges and transmission loss have to be borne additionally, he noted.

No load-shedding

At any cost, load-shedding would not be conducted, keeping the interests of farmers and others in view, he clarified.

This year, there is severe shortage of coal to thermal units, while water availability is only 60% in reservoirs. Coal supply from the Union Government is very less. In last eight months, coal supply was only 27% to BTPS, 12% to YTPS and 48% to RTPS. To meet the demand, power is being purchased from November to May. The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Authority (KERC) has approved to purchase 1,000 MW of power through bidding. At present, 900 MW of power is being purchased at a rate of Rs 4.08 per unit, the minister explained.

Recently, BJP leaders leveled allegations against me, with regard to power purchase. If that was true, they could have raised the issue in the session of the State Legislature,, Mr Shivakumar added.

MLA Prasad Abbayya, and others were present.