7-hour daily load-shedding begins in Meghalaya due to power purchase dues

We expect that we willbe able to end all our liabilities to the generating companiesand transmission companies soon, states Power Minister JamesSangma said.

Amid burgeoning dues to astate-run electric utility, the ailing power supplier companyin Meghalaya is going for a seven-hour daily load-sheddingacross the state from Sunday, an official said.

The outages are being carried out in three shifts onrotational basis, a senior Meghalaya Electric Corporation Ltd(MeECL) official told PTI.

The MeECL owes Rs 74.65 crore to Power GridCorporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) as transmission charges, andit was not in a position to pay the dues due to extremefinancial condition of the company, the official said.

''We can barely afford to pay the salaries of ouremployees. Recently we had requested the state government toextend Rs 113.47 crore financial assistance to make paymentfor the outstanding bills of PGCIL and to reinstate theletters of credit with central generating stations.

''Deliberations are going on at the highest levels ofthe government,'' the MeECL said in a statement.

The MeECL was forced to regulate about 70MW of energyand the PGCIL wanted a firm commitment on payment of 50 percent of dues in one week and a definite timeline for theremaining 50 per cent, it added.

The state government has availed a loan of Rs 1,345crore under #AatmanirbharBharat from the Centre to clear alloutstanding power purchase dues of the MeECL.

''The loan under the special package given by the PrimeMinister will be disbursed to all gencos and transcos whichinclude NEEPCO, OTPC, NHPC and PGCIL. We expect that we willbe able to end all our liabilities to the generating companiesand transmission companies soon,'' state's Power Minister JamesSangma said.