(FE)
With outstanding dues spiralling to nearly Rs 6,000 crore, state-owned power generation company NTPC has threatened to cut supplies to the electricity distribution companies of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana from Wednesday if the bills are not cleared soon. The cumulative dues, pending for more than 60 days, stood at Rs 4,138 crore as on January 30. If immediate arrangements are not made, the three states could lose 3,470 MW of power supply from NTPC’s Ramagundam, Simhadri, Talcher and Kudgi power plants.
As per the regulation notice sent to the discoms from NTPC, some of the bills for which payments have not been made were raised as early as March 2018. NTPC’s outsanding receivable from states (more than 60 days) are pegged at Rs 7,020 crore at the end of December 31, 2018. According to sources, dues are also rising significantly from the discoms of Uttar Pradesh and J&K. The dues have been pending in spite of “repeated follow ups at various levels in person as well as through letters”.
