Punjab electricity crisis: Sidhu shares tips to give free power 24x7

The Amarinder Singh government in Punjab was panned by the opposition Akali Dal and BJP on Friday as the state faced a power crisis. On Wednesday, the power demand peaked to 14,142MW against the supply of 12,842MW, leaving a gap of 1,300MW, an official of the state-owned power utility Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) had said.

The PSPCL attributed the power crisis to the "prolonged dry spells, paddy transplantation and power shortage owing to failure of one unit of the Talwandi Sabo thermal power plant”.

The government announced that all government offices would function from 8am to 2pm from Friday to cut power usage. The PSPCL also appealed to government and public sector offices to switch off ACs from July 3.

On Friday, Navjot Singh Sidhu, a critic of Amarinder Singh in the Congress, argued there was no need for power cuts or regulations on AC use. Sidhu shared a total of nine tweets on the "Truth of Power Costs, Cuts, Power Purchase Agreements & How to give Free & 24 hour Power to the People of Punjab".

Sidhu noted Punjab was purchasing power at a higher cost than the national average. He wrote, "Power Purchase Costs - Punjab is buying Power at average cost of Rs. 4.54 per unit, National Average is Rs. 3.85 per unit & Chandigarh is paying Rs. 3.44 per unit. Punjab’s over-dependence on 3 Private Thermal Plants at Rs. 5-8 per unit makes Punjab pay more than other states."

Sidhu criticised the previous Parkash Singh Badal regime for signing power purchase agreements that had "faulty clauses". Sidhu wrote, "Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) - Badal Govt signed PPAs with 3 Private Thermal Power Plants in Punjab. Till 2020, Punjab has already paid 5400 Crore due to faulty clauses in these Agreements and is expected to pay 65,000 Crore of Punjab People’s Money just as fixed charges... Punjab can purchase power from National Grid at much cheaper rates, but these Badal-signed PPAs are acting against Punjab’s Public Interest. Punjab may not be able to re-negotiate these PPAs due to them having legal protection from Hon’ble Courts..."

Sidhu suggested that the Punjab Assembly effectively nullify the PPAs signed by the Badal government to save money. He wrote, "Punjab Vidhan Sabha can bring in New Legislation with retrospective effect to Cap power purchase costs to prices available on the National Power Exchange at any given time... Thus, By amending the Law, these Agreements will become Null & Void, saving People of Punjab’s Money."

Sidhu noted that "gross mismanagement of the complete power purchase & supply system" meant Punjab's revenue per unit of power consumption was "one of the lowest in India". Sidhu noted Punjab had not utilised its potential to generate power from solar and biomass means. Sidhu called for an original "Punjab model" of power generation to better serve people of the state.

"Punjab Model for Power - Money spent on giving unreasonable & exuberant profits to Private Thermal Plants should be utilised for welfare of People i.e Giving Power Subsidy for Free Power for Domestic use (Upto 300 Units), 24 hours supply & to invest in Education & Healthcare!" he wrote.