Haryana seeks completion of power project before Commonwealth Games

New Delhi, May 28 (UNI) Haryana today sought the completion of 1500 MW thermal power project at Jhajjar on a fast track basis to be commissioned before the ensuing Commonwealth Games 2010.

The power project is being set up as a joint venture of Haryana, Delhi and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).

State Irrigation Minister Ajay Singh Yadav, who read out Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's speech in his absence at the Chief Minister's Conference on the power sector issues here, said Haryana had gone out of the way to accommodate 2200 acres of land and water for this power project.

He said to meet the increased demand of power in the National Capital Region where the load growth was 20 per cent, the NTPC should set up a dedicated gas-based power project that should be funded by the Centre.

He also urged that priority should be given in the allocation of gas to the 432 MW power project of Faridabad as land and common facility infrastructure already existed for the extension of the project.

He said there was a lot of uncertainty prevailing in the country regarding the availability and price of gas, which has put on hold the plans of many power producers whohad planned investments in the state in view of of gas becoming available.

He said there was an urgent need for the government to clear the picture on availability and pricing of gas. ''Haryana needs 25-30 MSCMD gas for the proposed six gas-based power generation projects for which Heads of Agreement have been signed,'' he added.

The Chief Minister suggested that power deficit sates and States witnessing high load growth like Haryana should be given priority in allocation of power from ultra-modern projects, He said the idea of a national power exchange was a welcome step towards creation of healthy power market, but the soaring trading margins was a cause of concern. The cost of traded power has gone up from about Rs 2.50 per unit to Rs six per unit within a span of one year, he added.

Mr Hooda said the power surplus states were at present exploiting the acute deficit condition and selling their surplus power through bidding and these states had no option, but to buy power at exorbitant rates.

''The electricity should be treated as an essential commodity and while we gradually create a free market for its trading we must not permit super normal profit to either generators or traders.'' He urged the government to review the power entitlement to power surplus states from the Central projects, including allocations from unalloted pool of Central share.

Meanwhile, he mentioned that due to continued denial of surplus Ravi-Beas water to Haryana, state farmers had no option but to exploit groundwater to sustain agriculture production. ''This has depleted the groundwater resources, affected our soil and put a strain on our electricity system,'' the Chief Minister added.

The state is providing subsidy to the tune of Rs 2366 crore in the current year on account of subsidised power to the agriculture sector the and Centre should compensate the state for this additional financial burden, he urged.

UNI