The Punjab State Power Corporation has been chosen as “Best Performing Utility in Power Sector” by Central Board of Irrigation & Power.
The award was presented to K.D.Chaudhri, Chairman cum Managing Director by Sanwar Lal Jat, Minister of State, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India in the presence of Uma Bharti, Union Minister at New Delhi.
A jury of eminent personalities such as A.B.Pandya, Chairman, Central Water Commission, A.S.Bakshi, Member, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, Major Singh, Member Planning, Central Electricity Authority, Tarun Kapoor, Joint Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, K.S.Popli, CMD, Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited, Ashok Sethi, Executive Director, Tata Power Co. Limited and Avinash Tyagi, Secretary General, International Commission on Irrigation & Drainage was constituted to select the best power utility. In the award ceremony apart from eminent jury other dignitaries present were V.K.Kanjalia, Secretary/CBIP and Devender Chaudhry, Special Secretary, Ministry of Power, Government of India.
The PSPCL CMD, K.D.Chaudhry informed that PSPCL has been selected on the basis of its excellent performance in wide range of areas. PSPCL is having one of the lowest Transmission and Distribution losses in the country. It brought down T&D losses from 23.92% in 2007 to 16.95% in 2014 which include EHT losses of 4% as well. Annual financial turnaround has been achieved from loss of Rs.1640 crores in year 2010-11 to profit of 261 crores in year 2012-13, 256 crores in 2013-14 and expected profit of Rs.170 crores in year 2014-15.
CMD said that already PSPCL’s achievements have been recognised by Power Finance Corporation by rating it second best utility in its draft rating. It is a jump of 15 positions from 17th in year 2012-13 to 2nd position now which is further likely to improve in the latest ratings.
Chaudhri said that Punjab is first state to start single number (1912) for registration of power supply related complaints all over the State. Massive investment of Rs.4500 crores has been done in Transmission and Distribution System and no Grid Sub Station is overloaded now. He said that PSPCL has adopted consumer friendly multiple bill payment options such as online payment, payment through Mobile Applications, Sewak Machines etc. Distribution Network Strengthening under R-APDRP at a cost of Rs.1447 crores is likely to completed before July 2015.