BSES moves SC against NTPC notice to cut power supply in Delhi

New Delhi: Reliance Group-owned power distribution companies in Delhi on Thursday approached the Supreme Court against NTPC’s notice threatening to cut off power supply for not clearing outstanding dues.  A bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam, before whom the matter was mentioned for an urgent hearing, listed the case for tomorrow. The counsel appearing for BSES submitted that a matter connected to this case is coming up for hearing tomorrow and pleaded that its fresh plea be also heard with it. The bench agreed to the plea and posted the case hearing tomorrow. NTPC had last week issued notices to BSES Rajdhani and BSES Yamuna on the issue of payment security mechanism and non-payment of outstanding dues to the state-run company. After issuing notices to BSES Rajdhani and BSES Yamuna on February 1, NTPC had on February 4 said it was in trouble and unless its dues are cleared, the company may have to stop power supply to these discoms. NTPC Chairman and Managing Director had said if they were not paid in time, they will have to regulate nearly 2,000 MW of power. These bills, due to BSES Rajdhani and Yamuna, are for the amount of power consumed in December and billed in January to be payable by the end of January. NTPC had said that currently there was no letter of credit available for the two companies. BSES Rajdhani’s last letter of credit was encashed on January 31, leaving a shortfall of Rs 27l.61 crore.There is a payment shortfall of Rs 96.07 crore on BSES Yamuna. The present allocation of power to BSES Rajdhani from NTPC stations is l,26l MW and for BSES Yamuna it is 811 MW. The Appellate Tribunal for Electricity had yesterday directed Delhi power regulator DERC not to take a final decision on revoking the licences of BSES discoms without its permission. In an interim petition, the BSES discoms has sought the intervention of the apex electricity tribunal on the issue. BSES Rajdhani distributes power to over 18.5 lakh customers in south and west Delhi, including Alaknanda, Vasant Kunj, Saket, Nehru Place, Nizamuddin, Sarita Vihar, Hauz Khas, R K Puram, Janakpuri, Punjabi Bagh, Tagore Garden, Vikas Puri, Palam and Dwarka, according to its website. BSES Yamuna has 13.5 lakh customers in central and east Delhi, including Chandni Chowk, Daryaganj, Paharganj, Shankar Road, Patel Nagar, Krishna Nagar, Laxmi Nagar, Mayur Vihar and Yamuna Vihar. PTI