These companies have accumulated huge amounts of outstanding dues resulting from their failure to pay timely bills to the Delhi government-owned power generating companies — Indraprastha Power Generation Company (IPGCL), Pragati Power Company Limited (PPCL) and electricity wheeling company — Delhi Transco Limited (DTL).
According to an official of the power department, the accumulated outstanding is over Rs 8,000 crore and these two companies of BSES having not paid a single rupee so far. “The government is now of the view that these companies will not pay back the amount so it should be adjusted in their outstanding against the electricity bills generated for government establishments including Delhi Secretariat, directorates and offices in the districts,” said a senior officer of the department.
The severe financial crisis of power generating companies of the Delhi government has also forced it to go for the decision as these companies are not able to pay salaries to their employees and their pension liabilities.
According to sources, the total electricity bill of government establishments is around Rs 500 crore per month. “The government is considering to pay this amount to the cash strapped PSUs on behalf of discoms and adjust the amount in their outstanding,” added the officer.
DTL has been sending regulation notices to BSES Rajdhani Power Limited and BSES Yamuna Power Limited on a regular basis for the past few months for payment of Rs 2,000 crore. The company has not made any payments so far, forcing the DTL to caution them not to provide regulatory services in their areas, which cover 75 per cent of Delhi power consumers.
In a meeting last week, Delhi power minister Satyendar Jain directed officials of PSUs to come up with a proposal. “We are in the process of analysing the details and soon will come up with a proposal,” said the officer.
The discoms are facing the charges of non-payment of bills from power generator National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) as well. NTPC has recently sent notices to BRPL and BYPL to pay an outstanding amount of around Rs 1,300 crore dues by May 9, Monday.
“A notice for regulation has been served on the BRPL & BYPL for regulation of power supply with effect from 00:00 hours of May 10, 2016, for a total quantum of 2027 MW,” NTPC said in a statement.
According to sources, BSES has sought more time to clear the dues while NTPC maintained that it has to pay in advance to its fuel suppliers which constitute about 75-80 per cent of its monthly energy bills. The complaint of NTPC against BSES companies is also an old one and crisis becomes all the more serious during summers.