With NTPC threat looming large, discoms move SC

NTPC has threatened to snap supply to the capital if power distribution companies do not pay the dues by February 10.

Reliance Group-owned power distribution companies moved the Supreme Court on Thursday against a notice from the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) threatening to snap power supply in the national capital over non-payment of dues.

Although initially reluctant to hear their plea, bypassing the Delhi High Court, a bench led by Chief Justice P Sathasivam agreed to hear the BSES on Friday. BSES Yamuna and BSES Rajdhani are walking a tightrope as, on one hand, the NTPC is threatening to cut power supply due to their inability to clear the dues while, on the other, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has said their licences ought to be cancelled.

The BSES mentioned the matter before the bench and requested an urgent hearing in view of the NTPC threatening to snap supply if dues are not paid by February 10.

The counsel for the discoms said a similar matter relating to a dispute between DERC and BSES was coming up for hearing before another bench on Friday and, hence, this matter should also be heard urgently. The court agreed to have the matter listed.

NTPC had last week issued notices to BSES Rajdhani and BSES Yamuna for payment security mechanism and non-payment of outstanding dues.

BSES runs two companies that supply electricity to nearly 70 per cent of Delhi. They reportedly owe about Rs 400 crore to the NTPC. The outstanding dues are for the power supply in December, which was payable by January-end.

The Appellate Tribunal for Electricity had a day ago directed the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission not to take a final decision on revoking the licences of BSES discoms without its permission.

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Last week, Kejriwal had come down heavily on the power companies for their failure to clear the dues. He also favoured cancellation of their licences if they failed to ensure uninterrupted power supply.

BSES asks South corpn to pay power bill dues incurred for streetlights

The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) chairperson P D Sudhakar on Thursday met Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung to update him on the status of the power situation in the capital.
Meanwhile, in letters to the Delhi government and the South Municipal Corporation, BSES has sought the release of subsidy due to them and the payment of electricity bills for streetlights. The letter to the Delhi government reads, “We have been requesting the Delhi government through various letters for release of subsidy due to BRPL (Rs 166.35 crore) and BYPL (Rs. 95.79 crore), which would help us in meeting the dues of NTPC…”
Sources said that BSES also wrote to the South corporation over the dues. “Pending payment of electricity bills on account of streetlights from South corporation amount to Rs 118 crore. We have been regularly pursuing the matter with the commissioner, South corporation, with regard to release of the same,” the letter reads.
Sources in the Delhi government said that there was no question of releasing subsidy due to the BSES discoms as the company owed the Delhi government huge sums of money already.

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