In line with the commitment to provide quality power to the consumers across the State, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Friday asked the State power utility — PSPCL — to go for clean and green power at a competitive price.
Channi, chairing a meeting with the officials of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) on power sector issues, said the solar power, being cost effective and reliable besides clean and green source of energy, would go a long way in ensuring a healthy and pollution free environment.
PSPCL chairman-cum-managing director A Venu Prasad apprised the Chief Minister that PSPCL has floated two tenders for procurement of total 500 MW solar power. Out of this, 250 MW solar power is planned to be procured from solar power projects located anywhere in India with ceiling tariff of Rs 2.50 per Kwh.
Apart from this, another 250 MW of solar power would be purchased from solar power projects located anywhere in Punjab with ceiling tariff of Rs 2.70 per Kwh, Prasad said, adding the move would meet the rising demand of power in Punjab and simultaneously develop and promote renewable sources of energy.
Briefing the Chief Minister about the current coal shortages in the power plants in the State, Prasad said the situation is prevalent across all the thermal power plants in India due to less production of coal by Coal India Limited. He further explained how, with a great difficultly, the power is being managed by PSPCL.
“All possible avenues are being explored to supply uninterrupted and quality power to the people of the State,” Prasad added.
Notably, the PSPCL is also endeavouring to sign an MoU with EESL for development of 140 MW Solar PV power projects at vacant spare land of 66 KV substations of PSPCL to increase the share of clean, green and low tariff renewable power.