The Uttar Pradesh government is making all efforts to increase power generation and make the state self-reliant and plans to double power generation by 2022.
This was stated by Energy Minister Shrikant Sharma.
“Power generation would be enhanced from 6,134 megawatt to 12,734 megawatt by 2022. To achieve this target, 10 units with generation capacity of 660 MW each are being constructed. The state’s transmission capacity has gone up by one-and-a-half times since the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in the state. Power generation under the previous Samajwadi Party regime stood at 16,346 MW and now it is 24,000 MW,” Sharma said.
Talking about UJALA, (Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LED for All), a Centrally-sponsored scheme that seeks to promote efficient energy use and power for all, Sharma said the state had saved Rs 1,335 crore as distribution of LED bulbs slashed the demand for power by 700 MW.
The minister claimed that power supply to rural areas has gone up from 2015-16 to 2018-19.
“As against 201.59 million units supplied to rural areas in 2015-16, 305.84 million units were supplied in 2018-19. This allowed 18-hour uninterrupted power supply in rural areas, 20-hour electricity in tehsil headquarters and 24-hour power supply in district headquarters. Besides, a record 1.24 crore power connections were given in the last three years,” Sharma said.
Meanwhile, the UP government ordered financial scrutiny of two private sector companies, Torrent Power and Noida Power, holding power distribution franchisees in Agra and Noida respectively.
Earlier, UP Power Consumer Forum had demanded a high-level probe in the light of various financial and consumer services mandates set in respective power distribution agreements signed with these companies.
The energy minister directed UP Power Corporation Limited to submit a detailed report in the matter within 15 days.
In compliance with the directive, UPPCL Managing Director M Devraj set up a three-member committee to probe into the charges levelled by the consumer forum.
While UPPCL Director (Commercial) AK Srivastava heads the committee, UPPCL Executive Engineer AK Gupta and UPPCL Chief Engineer (Commercial) Shravan Parti are its members.
Torrent was expected to realise and recoup to the Energy department outstanding worth several crores of rupees on power consumers in Agra. However, the outstanding increased to Rs 2,173 crore by October 31, 2017 and is currently Rs 2,500 crore, while only a minuscule amount was returned to the power utility.
Similarly, the agreement with Noida Power Company was signed in 1993, yet, hundreds of villages are still awaiting the promised improvement in power supply.
