Karnataka to spend Rs 400 cr to purchase power

Bangalore (PTI): The BJP government in Karnataka would spend Rs 400 crore to purchase power from all available sources, as the state was now facing a shortage of 15 to 20 million units daily due to low storage level in reservoirs and breakdown of two thermal units at Raichur, state minister for power K S Eswarappa said here on Wednesday.

This would ensure that consumers are spared from power cuts, a phenomena suffered by neighbouring states like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, he told reporters.

He said the GMR group has agreed to sell 200 MW of power and Jindal about 50 MW at Rs 8.88 per unit. About 200 MW would be procured on a barter basis to ensure augmentation of power by 10 million units daily to the existing production of about 105 million units per day.

To a question, he said there was no plan to hike tariffs, despite the fact that power was being purchased at higher rate and supplied to consumers at just Rs 3.30 per unit.

Meanwhile, the state cabinet meeting today approved a 'timetable' to ensure 12 hours of power supply in rural areas — three phase power for six hours and single phase supply for as many hours from November 14, indicating that there will be load shedding for 12 hours.

Urban areas, including Bangalore, will be free from scheduled loadshedding, the minister said.

Source: hindu.com