In order to ensure adequate power during the summers and ensuing paddy season, in the first meeting of steering committee for power planning (SCPP), chaired by Ashok Lavasa, financial commissioner & principal secretary (power), key issues like demand, availability, shortfall and arrangements to procure electricity from all possible sources were discussed,

Giving details, a state government spokesman said on Friday that the SCPP had been formed keeping in view the provisions of Electricity Act, 2003. The Haryana government has transferred the rights relating to procurement of electricity on long and short terms from Haryana Power Generation Corporation to the State distribution companies i.e. Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam with the financial year 2008 ? 09.

The power trading business shall be handled by the distribution companies on a single buyer model and the functions of procuring power will be discharged by Haryana Power Purchase Centre (HPPC) under the supervision of SCPP to be headed by FC&PS (Power). chairman, Haryana Power Utilities, managing directors of HVPNL, HPGCL, UHBVNL & DHBVNL have been nominated as the members of SCPP. The head quarters of HPPC will be located at Panchkula and its main objective will be to arrange long-term and short-term powers in a very economical, reliable and cost effective manner.

The HPCC will be a joint forum created and owned by the distribution companies. It will be headed by a Chief Engineer. With the transfer of the trading business to distribution companies the short term and long term arrangements of power will be made by the distribution companies. It will bring more efficiency for power procurement as the distribution companies can directly access the demand of electricity.

He said the committee would also explore opportunities of cheaper power on a long term and short term basis and sale / banking of surplus power during lean period of the State so that the banked power is available to the State during the period of demand.

The spokesman said that the state spent Rs 1732.35 crore for purchasing short-term power during 2007?08 which included Rs 1018.40 crore on unscheduled interchange and Rs 713.95 crore from short-term power purchases.