Jammu and Kashmir’s regional parties have been up in arms on Saturday over the latest energy buy settlement between Ratle Hydro Electric Power Corporation Limited (RHPCL) and Rajasthan Urja Vikas and IT Services Limited for offtake of energy for a interval of 40 years.
National Conference (NC) spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar sought clarification concerning the settlement. “A power purchase agreement usually lasts for a maximum of 20 years. In this case, it is 40 years at a pre-negotiated price, which is also unknown. There has been a feeling of betrayal amongst the people of J&K that their resources are being bartered away. The government should bring out a white paper on the agreement informing people about its underlying purpose and what benefits will J&K reap from it,” Mr. Dar stated.
He stated the settlement has stirred a hornet’s nest as a result of the phrases and circumstances seemingly are to the drawback of the Union Territory. “The government should have prioritised providing electricity to the domestic consumers, given the looming energy crisis. For electricity-starved people of J&K, is this agreement a solution?” he requested.
Former J&Okay Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, president of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stated the transfer to provide electrical energy to Rajasthan from the Ratle Power Project would “rob” the folks of J&Okay “at a time when J&K is facing a severe power crisis”.
“At a time when J&K is facing a severe power crisis never witnessed before, our hydro-electric resources are being outsourced to other States. Yet another decision that will rob people of basic amenities with an intention to collectively punish the inhabitants of J&K,” Ms. Mufti stated.
J&Okay Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari termed the federal government’s transfer as “puzzling”. “At a time when the entire J&K is facing an acute electricity crisis, especially in its rural areas, the reported leasing out of electricity from Rattle Power Project Kishtwar to Rajasthan is quite puzzling.
“The J&K administration has off and on came on record claiming that it has been buying the power supply from other states to meet the demands in the Union Territory, while at the same time leasing out its own supply to another state is beyond comprehension. I urge the J&K administration to come clear on the facts,” Mr. Bukhari stated.
The Ratle Hydro Electric Power Corporation Limited (RHPCL), a three way partnership firm of NHPC Limited and Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC), signed the facility buy settlement (PPA) with Rajasthan Urja Vikas and IT Services Limited on January 3. It signed the offtake of energy generated from 850 MW Ratle Hydroelectric Project, Kishtwar, for a interval of 40 years from the business operation date (of the mission and as per energy allocation to be notified by the Ministry of Power), officers stated.
