Mah CM admits power shortage of 5,000 MW

Mumbai, Mar 9 (UNI) Admitting that Maharashtra has been facing power shortage of 5,000 MW during the peak season, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh today said the state was ready to purchase power between Rs 8 and Rs 10 per unit.

Talking to newspersons here, Mr Deshmukh said one unit of Ratnagiri power plant had been closed and it would take at least one year to restart, while the second one was generating power upto 350 to 400 MW.

''Energy conservation is necessary and the government is also considering the proposal of Union non-conventional minister Vilas Muttemwar to use the solar energy for government hospitals, rest houses and even street lamps,'' he said.

The demand for power was increasing every year by 10 per cent, but with the help of private players like Tata, Reliance and Jindal, the state could become self-sufficient in the power sector by 2011, he added.

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