Electricity workers of Maharashtra oppose the State Government’s plan to privatise hydro-electric generation plans

 

Maharashtra government is planning to hand over 6 Hydroelectric power plants to private capitalist companies. This will be detrimental to the interests of the people of Maharashtra since the Hydroelectric power plants have the lowest cost of power generation. Maharashtra State Electricity Workers Federation has issued a memorandum to the Government of Maharashtra expressing its opposition to this move.

 

 

(English translation of the letter in Marathi)

Maharashtra State Electricity Workers Federation
( Reg.No. 4309 )
Affiliated to All India Federation of Electricity Employees
Comrade Krushna Bhoyar ( General Secretary )


SR/Panvel-06 Dated 26.01.2022
To,
Honorary President and Managing Director
Maharashtra State Electricity Generation Company
Prakashgad Bandra ( East ) Mumbai

Subject: Strong opposition to the State government’s decision about handing over 6 hydroelectric plants currently with Mahanirmiti to Water resources department
Reference: 1) Water resource department decision Serial जविप्र २०२१/प्र.क्र.१०५/जवि dated 16.11.2021
2) जा क्रमांक मुअ(वि)जविप्र/का-२/तां-२/आर अँड एम/१४० dated 18.01.2022.

Sir,

Six Hydroelectric projects Yeldari ( 3 x 7.5 megawatt ), Vaitarna ( 1 x 60 megawatt ); Bhatghar ( 1 x 16 megawatt ), Koyna level-3 ( 4 x 80 megawatt ), Koyna dam ( right bank ) ( 2 x 20 megawatt 0. Paithan ( 1 x 12 megawatt ) totalling about 470.5 megawatt, which have been in the hands of Maharashtra government right since the founding of Maharashtra State Electricity Board, have completed more than 10 years life and hence vide Maharashtra government decision reference 1 above Chief engineer ( electricity ) hydroelectric projects Mumbai-1 has been instructed to hand back the projects to Water Resources Department for operations who will organize renewal and modernisation by privatisation through tendering.

Chief engineer ( electricity ) hydroelectric projects Mumbai-1 has sent letter reference 2 above on 18.01.2022 to Chief engineer ( N.U ) Maharashtra State Power Generation Company limited, H.S.B.C. building, 3rd floor, Fort Mumbai-01 and instructed him to give information to the concerned Water Resources Department regarding the said 6 hydroelectric plants covering power generation in last 10 years, reasons for variable power generation, details of major and minor repairs of generation equipment carried out by Mahanirmiti company, blue prints of drawings when the projects were handed over to Mahanirmiti, pre-commissioning / commissioning test records, list of equipment, spares, tools and tackles etc.

As per the government decision dated 16th November 2021 there is a possibility that hydroelectric plants will go into the hands of private companies. From our reliable sources we have received information that a committee has been appointed for this purpose.

Maharashtra State Generating company is also an enterprise of government of Maharashtra and it is possible to carry out renewal and modernisation of hydroelectric power plants by this company. But instead of that government is thinking of taking it out of hands of Mahanirmiti company and hand over to private company which is very dangerous. Because the electricity is generated from these power plants at very cheap cost and hence is available to consumers at cheaper rate. But once the hydroelectric power plants go into the hands of private companies, it will try to increase the electricity tariff to for consumers.

Before this also the Veer hydroelectric power plant was transferred to Water Resources Department which gave it to a private company for renewal, modernisation and operation on Build-Operate-Transfer basis. Our organization expresses its very strong opposition to hand over the above mentioned 6 hydroelectric power plants to private capitalist companies.

Yours faithfully

Comrade Krushna Bhoyar
General Secretary

CC to

1) Respected Dr. Nitin Raut, Cabinet Power Minister Maharashtra State, Mumbai
2) Respected Prajakt Dada Tanpure , State Power Minister Maharashtra State, Mumbai
3) Respected leader of opposition Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council Maharashtra State, Mumbai
4) Respected President of Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council Maharashtra State, Mumbai
5) Respected Chief Secretary Maharashtra State, Mumbai
6) Respected Secretary Power Maharashtra State, Mumbai
7) Respected Managing Director Mahageneco , Prakashgad, Bandra ( East ) , Mumbai
8) President/working president/Additional General Secretary/deputy General Secretary, Zonal Secretary Maharashtra State Electricity Workers Federation

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