Punjab minister contradicted, Union ministry says no proposal to set up 3 power units
Punjab power minister
Harbhajan Singh's claim that it approved three 800-MW power units in Punjab, the
Union ministry of power
has clarified it had not received any such proposal.
The clarification came in response to a query in the Lok Sabha by Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi, who sought details regarding central govt's approval to three new thermal units of 800 MW each — two in Ropar and one at a new location. Responding to Channi's question, the ministry stated: "No such proposal has been received in the ministry of power."
The rebuttal follows Harbhajan Singh's announcement on June 7, after the Conference of North Indian Power Ministers in Delhi, chaired by Union power minister Manohar Lal Khattar. The conference was attended by energy representatives from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, and Delhi.
Harbhajan Singh claimed that the Centre approved the setting up of two additional plants, each of 800 MW capacity, at Ropar. Additionally, he claimed, approval was granted to setting up a new 800-MW power plant at another location to meet Punjab's growing electricity demand. Despite repeated attempts, Harbhajan Singh could not be contacted for comment on the Union ministry's disclosure.
However, the Union ministry clarified that under Section 7 of the Electricity Act, 2003, setting up power generation units was a de-licensed activity. This means states and private entities do not require prior central govt approval to establish power plants, provided they comply with grid connectivity and technical standards. The ministry stated said ensuring adequate power generation to meet electricity demand within a state fell under the jurisdiction of the respective state govt or its power utility.
Addressing a query on coal supply, the ministry highlighted several ongoing national initiatives aimed at reducing bottlenecks in coal logistics. It said coal linkage rationalisation had been implemented to reduce transportation distances between coal mines and power plants.
Flexibility has also been provided to state and central generating companies (Gencos) in utilisation of domestic coal by state/central Gencos amongst their generating stations to reduce the cost of power generation by allocating more coal to their most efficient plants as well as by saving in transportation cost. The Coal Logistic Plan and Policy, spearheaded by the Ministry of Coal, focuses on enhancing supply chain efficiency through key railway infrastructure projects that reduce logistics costs and improve the timeliness of coal deliveries across the country.
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