The centre has convened a meeting of Maharashtra State Electricity Board, National Thermal Power Corporation and GE Capital, a promoter of the Dabhol Power Project, on Wednesday in an effort to restart generation from the first phase of 740 mw lying idle now for over 15 months. “This is just a parallel step we are trying to take in the process of restarting the plant. First and foremost condition remains that mseb and IDBI-led lenders will have to reach a consensus on tariff”, Union Power Secretary R.V. Shahi told PTI. GE, having 10 per cent equity in the project, had earlier this month written a letter to the Centre objecting to Power Minister Anant Geete’s statement to restart the project within 2-3 months saying the technical aspects needed to be assessed first. However, Shahi said even in long hauls, the power plants should not take such a long period ranging between nine to 15 months as suggested by ge in his communication to power and finance ministers. “But in the manufacturing of the plant, ge is the main supplier of the equipment and their support is necessary in restarting the project and hence tomorrow’s meeting in this regard”, Shahi said. Shahi said that ministry’s role otherwise is limited to pursuing NTPC to manage and run the plant on contract basis and that too after mseb-IDBI decide on mutually agreed tariff. Asked about mseb’s offer to buy electricity at Rs 2.25 a unit, Shahi had earlier said the fuel (naphtha) itself costs Rs 2.30 a unit for running the plant and after exempting sales and excise duties the cost would come to about Rs 2.23 a unit. Refusing to comment on the tariff level, what it should be, Shahi said Maharashtra required electricity as stated by their representatives and it was for them to negotiate and reach a consensus on tariff.
