Tata Power moves HC against Maha government’s directives
EB Bureau
Tata Power filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court challenging Maharashtra government’s directive asking Tata Power to continue supply 360 Mw power to R-Infra who is distribution licensee for suburban Mumbai. Tata Power has prayed to court to issue immediate stay to state government’s directives till the petetion is being heard and disposed off.
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It may be recalled that, on 7 May state government advised the Tata Power to supply 360 Mw to R-Infra till 30 June at regulated rate and 200 Mw from 1 July to 31 March next year. In June last year Tata Power sent a notice to R-Infra of snapping 460 Mw of power supply from 1 April, which would have resulted either in inflated bills for R-Infra consumers whose tariffs are already high compared to the two other distribution utilities in Mumbai which includes Tata Power (distribution) and BEST or in load shedding.
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Anticipating public outcry, government asked Tata Power to maintain status quo till April end and appointed the committee of secretaries under the leadership of chief secretary to submit report about the issue. Accepting the committee’s recommendations government asked Tata Power to continue the supply of 100 Mw of power to BEST as per the power purchase agreement (PPA) and rest 360 Mw to R-Infra till June end and post 30 June 200 Mw till 31 March 2011.
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After heated exchanges between Tata Power and R-Infra who is responsible for current crisis and offers and counter offers to take over each other’s network, Tata Power finally on Wednesday moved to Bombay high court pleading to squash the Maharashtra government’s directives.
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In the petition company has observed, government’s attempt to give directives to Tata Power regarding its generation capacity is an attempt to bring a License Raj in the sector through side door which parliament intended to avoid by deregulating generation sector through enactment of Electricity Act 2003.
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Meanwhile Maharashtra government’s energy secretary Subrat Ratho only offered No Comments on Tata Power’s decision to move to Bombay high court against the state government’s directives.
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When contacted, R-Infra spokesman said,  Tata Power has gone in to the court against government’s directives so there is no question of reacting to it. But when pointed out, Tata Power has made R-Infra respondent in the petition he said, we will respond to it at appropriate forum.
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