The purchase of transformers in the last two years has come under scanner as UP Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPREC) has sought details from all Discoms (Distribution Companies) regarding such purchase, saying ‘some deals looks fishy and needs to be probed.’
In a meeting of UPERC state advisory committee held last week, the issue was raised by members who said substandard transformers were purchased in large numbers in the last two years resulting in erratic power supply in the state. The members reminded that nine transformer companies have already been black listed for their record of supplying old machinery in the name of new ones.
After much discussion the decision to seek details of transformers from all discoms was taken.
UPREC secretary, Arun Kumar Srivastava, said very soon letters will be sent to managing directors of discoms. They have to give details including number of transformers purchased during the last two years, percentage of the damage during guarantee period, percentage of burst and reasons behind it.
‘The Discom heads have been asked to submit the report within one month’s time,’ Srivastava said.
Sources said that in the last six months 97 cases of transformer bursting were reported from different parts of the state. Majority of the transformers were new and were bought by the companies that were blacklisted. It is believed that large amount of commission might have changed hands during previous regime in purchase of transformers.
These details will be made available to central electricity authority (CEA) and standing quality control committee, constituted under Electricity Act, 2003 by UPERC, for analysis and necessary action, he said.
UPERC has also instructed UPPCL to give a detailed report regarding quality of meters purchased during previous years. A team of experts from IIT Kanpur had already probed the quality of meters, he said.
Principal secretary (Energy) had recently formed a committee to look into blacklisting of nine transformer companies by power corporation management. The decision was opposed by Avadhesh Kumar Verma, a member of UPREC advisory committee and president of consumer body Upbhokta Parishad. Verma had said the formation of such a committee was not justified since the decision of blacklisting transformer companies was taken in a meeting headed by the chief minister and was based on reports of quality control committee of regulatory commission.
Following details of transformers being sought by UPERC now other matters related to purchases in UPPCL also could come to light, sources said.
In a meeting of UPERC state advisory committee held last week, the issue was raised by members who said substandard transformers were purchased in large numbers in the last two years resulting in erratic power supply in the state. The members reminded that nine transformer companies have already been black listed for their record of supplying old machinery in the name of new ones.
After much discussion the decision to seek details of transformers from all discoms was taken.
UPREC secretary, Arun Kumar Srivastava, said very soon letters will be sent to managing directors of discoms. They have to give details including number of transformers purchased during the last two years, percentage of the damage during guarantee period, percentage of burst and reasons behind it.
‘The Discom heads have been asked to submit the report within one month’s time,’ Srivastava said.
Sources said that in the last six months 97 cases of transformer bursting were reported from different parts of the state. Majority of the transformers were new and were bought by the companies that were blacklisted. It is believed that large amount of commission might have changed hands during previous regime in purchase of transformers.
These details will be made available to central electricity authority (CEA) and standing quality control committee, constituted under Electricity Act, 2003 by UPERC, for analysis and necessary action, he said.
UPERC has also instructed UPPCL to give a detailed report regarding quality of meters purchased during previous years. A team of experts from IIT Kanpur had already probed the quality of meters, he said.
Principal secretary (Energy) had recently formed a committee to look into blacklisting of nine transformer companies by power corporation management. The decision was opposed by Avadhesh Kumar Verma, a member of UPREC advisory committee and president of consumer body Upbhokta Parishad. Verma had said the formation of such a committee was not justified since the decision of blacklisting transformer companies was taken in a meeting headed by the chief minister and was based on reports of quality control committee of regulatory commission.
Following details of transformers being sought by UPERC now other matters related to purchases in UPPCL also could come to light, sources said.