Congress-led Punjab Government and the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Friday came under “powerful” attack by party legislator Navjot Singh Sidhu — this time on the issue of electricity cuts and other regulatory measures suggested by the powers that be to tackle the prevailing precarious power situation in the State.
In a series of tweets, Sidhu called for bringing a new law in the Vidhan Sabha to nullify the power purchase agreements (PPAs) signed by the erstwhile SAD-BJP Government, while also making it clear that the power cuts and other steps were not required “if we act in the right direction”.
Days after meeting the Gandhi siblings, Sidhu once again hit out at his own party’s Government in Punjab raising questions over its handling of the electricity supply situation, while suggesting ways to provide “round-the-clock power supply to the people of Punjab”.
Also taking a subtle dig at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s poll promise of providing free electricity in the state, Sidhu said: “Punjab needs an original Punjab model, not a copied model”.
In nine back-to-back tweets, Sidhu said: “Truth of Power Costs, Cuts, Power Purchase Agreements & How to give Free & 24 hour Power to the People of Punjab:- 1. There is No need for Power-Cuts in Punjab or for the Chief Minister to regulate office timings or AC use of the Common People … If we Act in the right direction (sic).”
The Chief Minister Capt Amarinder, after an emergent meeting with power officials on Thursday, had announced measures such as the curtailment of timings of government offices, and two-day weekly offs for industrial consumers, besides appealing for limited use of ACs.
Interestingly, Sidhu did not take over the charge of Power and New and Renewable Energy Department when he was allotted the portfolio in 2019 Cabinet rejig while divesting him of the charge of Local Government. In fact, he chose to quit the Cabinet. Since then, the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder is holding the power portfolio and the Cabinet berth is lying vacant.
In the series of tweets, Sidhu advised the state to purchase power from the national grid at much cheaper rates, pointing that the PPAs (with independent power producers) are acting against Punjab’s public interest.
“Punjab may not be able to re-negotiate these PPAs due to them having legal protection from the courts. But there is a way forward. Punjab Vidhan Sabha can bring in new legislation with retrospective effect to cap power purchase costs to prices available on the National Power Exchange at any given time. Thus, by amending the law, these agreements will become null & void (sic),” he tweeted.
The former Minister added that Punjab’s revenue per unit of consumption is one of the lowest in India, due to gross mismanagement of the complete power purchase and supply system. “The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited pays Rs 0.18 per unit extra on every unit supplied, even after receiving over Rs 9,000 crore in subsidy from the state,” he tweeted, advising the state to harness renewable energy which is becoming cheaper and also environment-friendly.
“Renewable Energy is becoming cheaper along with being environmental-friendly, But Punjab’s potential from Solar and BioMass Energy remains unutilized even though Central financial schemes can be availed for these projects. PEDA spends its time just on energy efficiency awareness (sic),” he tweeted.
Sidhu also questioned the high power purchase cost while blaming the state’s over-dependence on three private thermal plants. “Punjab is buying power at an average cost of Rs 4.54 per unit, whereas the national average is Rs 3.85 per unit and Chandigarh is paying Rs 3.44 per unit,” he
pointed.
Blaming the over-dependence on three private thermal plants at Rs five to eight per unit for the same, the former cricketer tweeted, “The (previous) Badal Govt signed PPAs with three private thermal power plants in Punjab. Till 2020, Punjab has already paid Rs 5,400 crore due to faulty clauses in these agreements and is expected to pay Rs 65,000 crore. People’s money just as fixed charges (sic).”
Taking a jibe at Kejriwal’s poll promise to replicate the Delhi model of power supply in Punjab, Sidhu advocated an “original Punjab model” to tackle the state’s power problem.
“Punjab already gives Rs 9,000 crore power subsidy but Delhi gives only Rs 1,699 crore. If Punjab copies the Delhi model, we will get merely Rs 1,600-2,000 crore as subsidy… Punjab needs an original Punjab model, Not a copied model (sic),” he tweeted.
“Punjab Model for Power - Money spent on giving unreasonable and exuberant profits to Private Thermal Plants should be utilized for welfare of People i.e Giving Power Subsidy for Free Power for Domestic use (upto 300 Units), 24 hours supply & to invest in Education & Healthcare (sic)!,” he said in another tweet.
Notably, Kejriwal, during his visit to the state capital on Tuesday, had announced 300 units of free electricity for each household in Punjab, waiver of pending power bills, and round-the-clock power supply.