The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) will have to pay charges for installation of pollution control devices at two private thermal plants — Talwandi Sabo Power Limited (TSPL) at Bannawali in Mansa and Nabha Power Limited (NPL) in Rajpura. The PSPCL was asked to pay the charges for installation of flue gas desulphurization (FGD), selective non-catalytic reduction technology (SNRC) and water treatment system after it lost a case at the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity. The outcome of the case exposes yet another loophole in the power purchase agreements with private thermal plants.
Sources said that given the capacity of these thermal plants, it is likely to cost PSPCL Rs 3,000 crore. As PSPCL is already in losses, it could lead to another tariff hike. TSPL has a generation capacity of 1,980 MW and it was commissioned in 2013, while NPL has a capacity of 1,400 MW and it was commissioned in 2014.
