SHILLONG, Dec 21: NEEPCO has defended its recent move to regulate power supply in the state, saying that it was in accordance with the Union Power ministry’s directives.
In a statement, NEEPCO head of corporate affairs, Hiten Bharali said that the stoppage of power supply to Meghalaya from 00.00 hours of December 19 was in accordance with the power ministry’s standing orders (dated June 28, 2019) on maintenance of adequate payment security by the power distribution licensees for purchase of power from central public sector undertakings.
“As per the directions, the distribution licensees are required to maintain Letters of Credit (LCs) or make advance payments to cover the cost of power purchase from central PSUs as a payment security mechanism. These directions also mandate the regional load despatch centres (RLDCs) to discontinue supply of power to the distribution licensees that fail to maintain adequate payment security,” the statement said.
The statement further said that since August 1, 2019, MeECL and all other beneficiaries of NEEPCO power stations had been purchasing power from the PSU by maintaining LCs or by making advance payments in lieu of maintaining LCs.
However, despite MeECL not making regular advance payments since December 8, and in consideration of the difficulties to be faced by the people during the winter as well as in view of the ensuing festive season, NEEPCO continued to supply power while making repeated requests to the MeECL to abide by the directives of the central government and re-establish the payment security.
“As MeECL failed to respond to these repeated requests to make the advance payments, NEEPCO had no other option left but to inform the North Eastern Regional Load Despatch Centre (NERLDC) about the absence of payment security of MeECL. Accordingly, power supply to Meghalaya from NEEPCO’s power stations was discontinued from 00:00 hours of December 19, 2020 by NERLDC,” the statement added.
NEEPCO also clarified that the stoppage of power supply has absolutely no connection with the outstanding dues while stating that regulation of power supply for not clearing outstanding dues requires a certain regulatory procedure to be followed.
“It it is amply clear that the reasons for any disruption of power supply by NEEPCO to Meghalaya are solely attributable to MeECL, and NEEPCO cannot be accused of adopting coercive measures while only abiding by prevailing orders on these matters,” it said