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Goa in mood for fight over sale of excess power

Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panaji

The Goa government seems to have decided to have an open confrontation with the Centre on the issue of sale of excess power allotted to the state, which cannot be transferred from the national grid due to lack of supportive infrastructure.

Despite a public statement made by Union Power Minister P Kumaramangalam a week ago during his visit to Goa that the state cannot sell its excess power in violation of the rules, Chief Minister Dr Wilfred de Souza has issued instructions to invite tenders from private parties to sell it.

"Who says I cannot sell excess power? I will see who stops me," roared Dr de Souza when journalists asked him today regarding objections raised by the Union power ministry. He feels that states have some powers to decide about the power allotted to them.

Although Goa has been allocated 294 mega-watts from the western grid including 210 MW of it from the Korba station in Madhya Pradesh, the actual availability is calculated at 220 MW after taking into account plant load-factor, auxiliary consumption and shut-downs.

Goa, however, has been drawing only 180 MW from the western grid due to lack of wheeling capacity, while 50 MW excess power has been used by some other states to date. After the new coalition government came to power in the state, Dr de Souza had taken a cabinet decision to invite tenders from private parties, allowing them to wheel and sell it without bringing it to Goa.

Kumarmangalam had strongly objected to it, stating that rules do not allow states to sell the excess power in such a manner, but it is normally shared by other states, if not used. He had, however, agreed to permit the Goa government to set up a sub-station at Korba if it cannot be wheeled, before selling it.

"If we could wheel it in, we could have used it since we are already short of power," quips Dr de Souza, reacting to the Union minister's proposal. He is also not in favour of setting up a sub-station at Korba for this purpose.

He claims he has already settled the matter with the Union minister, but did not elaborate.

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