BSEB facing Rs one crore loss every day

Patna, Oct 8 (UNI) Bihar State Electricity Board (BSEB) had been put under a financial burden of Rs one crore every day as it was purchasing additional electricity to meet the power crisis.

BSEB sources said here today that the board was purchasing 100 to 150 MW every day to cater the requirements of the state. The sources said that the board was forced to buy power following heavy curtailment of electricity supply from the central sectors. The state was facing huge power shortage due the curtailment from Talchar, Farakka and Kahalgaon units.

The sources informed that the Board was purchasing power from other sectors at an exhorbitant rate of Rs 7.45 per unit, whereas the rate of the sanctioned electricity was just Rs 2 per unit.

On an aveg are purchase of 100 to 150 MW electricity every day, the board had to pay about Rs one crore informed the sources, adding, that some times the Board had to buy 400 MW electricity every day.

The centre had sanctioned 1,170 MW electricity to Bihar, however it was receiving 700 to 800 MW electricity on an average.

According to the sources, the income of the board had increased to Rs 100 to 105 crore monthly from Rs 60-80 crore. However, the additional purchase of the electricity had put the board under a huge financial burden.

Meanwhile, in view of the ongoing power crisis, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had requested the central government to increase the supply of electricity by an additional 300 MW.

The thermal power station at Barauni and Kanti were shut down in the year 2003 for their maintenance and upgradation. Both the units were scheduled to start electricity generation by the end of March 2007. However the upgradation, modernisation and maintenance work in both the units were yet to be completed leading to the crisis.

UNI