The state getting coal from far off regions is increasing power
production cost per unit. Increasing freight charges are also putting an
additional burden on the people of the state. Energy and petrochemicals Minister
Saurabh Patel told the state assembly.
State government was incurring an extra expenditure which is
putting an additional burden on the people of the state he said.
Further, he said against the requirement of 44.80 lakh metric tons of
coal for the Ukai power plant, the Centre was giving 9.30 metric tons of coal
from the western field, while 32.40 MT of coal was supplied from the southern
field.
He said that in the year 2011-12 there was an increase in the power price by Rs
0.15 per unit which had imposed an additional burden of Rs 84.52 crore and in
2012-13 there was an increase of Rs 0.26 per unit which has imposed an additional
burden of Rs 108.46 crore by the end of December.
Patel said that the state bought 70,824 million units of power from private
companies at an average cost of Rs 3.27 per unit. State government bought
power at low rates from private firms and was selling it at a higher price to
other states. Patel further said that the highest rate paid was for solar
power where the government paid Rs 14.30 per unit while the lowest was
2.06 per unit for coal-based power.
At another question, Government said that in 2011, a total of 5,105 million
units were sold at an average cost of Rs 3.70 per unit, while in 2012, 4,573
million units were sold at 3.88 per unit.
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