Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar has assured that the State government would call for tenders to buy 1,000 MW of power to ensure uninterrupted supply during summer, despite the short supply of coal and some dams not being full.
Mr. Shivakumar told reporters on Friday that the government would purchase 1,000 MW daily at ₹4.8 per unit to make sure students writing exams and thousands of industries, factories, offices, and domestic consumers don’t suffer or blame the department.
‘Not election gimmick’
Denying that the government was buying power and coal with an eye on the Assembly polls, he said: “This is no election gimmick.” The department has called tenders to purchase 10 lakh tonnes of coal.
Noting Union Power Minister R.K. Singh’s statement that Karnataka has not contacted the Ministry seeking supply of coal, Mr. Shivakumar said he and the Chief Minister had written several letters to the Union Power Ministry seeking allocation of coals to power plants in the State. The Centre had meted out “stepmotherly treatment” to the State, Mr. Shivakumar alleged.
During April-December 2017, the supplied coal was 63.09 lakh tonnes against the allocation of 119.57 lakh tonnes. A total of 55.07 lakh tonnes of coal would be required during January-March 2017. The State is expecting 45.22 lakh tonnes during the period, a shortfall of 12.88 lakh tonnes, he said.
