To fulfil its promise, Rajasthan government to buy electricity from private companies...

 

To fulfil its poll promise of continuous electricity supply to the domestic consumers and over six hours supply to agricultural sector across the state, the Vasundhara Raje government has decided to purchase electricity from private companies for the first three months to provide uninterrupted power supply to people.

Sources inform that the ruling party doesn’t want to take chances in the upcoming general elections and hence, has decided to ensure proper supply of electricity to farmers during the Rabi season. It has therefore ordered all three discoms - Ajmer, Jaipur and Jodhpur to purchase electricity from private companies.  A total of 1,050 MW of power will be purchased in total in first three months.

The purchase is only for a short term, as another unit of Chhabbra Power Plant is expected to start generating power by April. Also, the government is expecting power supply from Kawai Power Station in the coming months.

On various occasions, energy minister of Rajasthan, Gajendra Singh Khinwsar has stressed on continuous electricity supply in rural areas and ordered officials to ensure the same.

However, as ironic as this may sound, but the ‘necessary’ supply will affect the cash-strained discoms.

“I can’t tell you about the availability and the quantum of the electricity purchased right now. I will be able to tell about it on Monday when I resume my office. And, all the information will be known to all soon,” said Arjun Singh, director of power trading cell of Jaipur Discom.

To manage the daily balance between demand and supply of electricity across the state, power trading cell usually adopts the bidding route and purchases electricity from power exchange depending on the anticipated electricity demand.

Since the day it took charge, the BJP has been focusing on the availability of electricity in the state especially to the farmers which may prove to be politically sensitive. Notably, other parties, especially AAP had come to power in Delhi on the basic issue of electricity only.

Source