Coastal districts feel the heat as UPCL suspends power generation in both units

Mangalore Today News Network

Padubidri, Jan 27, 2013: The Udupi Power Corporation Ltd’s Thermal power plant at Ellur near Padubidri, has all of a sudden suspended power generation with effect from January 24 midnight, making the people of the twin districts feel the pinch of power shortage.

Sources say the company has suspended operations in both its units which generated 600 mw each, citing shortage of coal essential for power generation. Already Udupi district is feeling the heat of load shedding due to this.

What has been gathered is that the UPCL which used to transmit the 1200 mw of power generated by it to the five ESCOMS, which however had not cleared their arrears accounting to Rs 1500 crore. A highly placed source said financial crunch making it difficult to purchase coal, has forced the company to shut down operations.

Here it is worth mentioning that the then Energy Minister Shobha Karandlaje who had visited UPCL for the first time about four months back had promised to clear the arrears at the earliest. The company which had believed the words of the minister had even gone ahead with the power generation in its second unit. However, with the all of a sudden exit of Shobha from the cabinet, the UPCL fearing that the arrears may not be cleared, has suspended power generation with effect from midnight of January 24.

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