Telangana: CM Revanth Reddy orders judicial probe into power purchase agreements, thermal power projects

Telangana government would initiate a judicial inquiry into power purchase agreements with Chhattisgarh as well as construction of the Bhadradri and Yadadri thermal power plants by the previous BRS government. said Revanth Reddy

Hyderabad: Taking up a challenge thrown by former Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday announced that the State government would initiate a judicial inquiry into power purchase agreements with Chhattisgarh as well as construction of the Bhadradri and Yadadri thermal power plants by the previous BRS government. He also announced an all party fact-finding committee to investigate the 24-hour power supply initiative of the BRS.

During a short discussion on the power sector in the Assembly, Revanth Reddy criticised the previous BRS government, alleging that they had signed an agreement with Chhattisgarh without going through the tendering process. He alleged that Congress legislators who questioned the Chhattisgarh agreement were treated harshly and were sent out from the Assembly using marshals.

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Drawing attention to the specifics of the Chhattisgarh agreement, the Chief Minister claimed that a power purchase agreement was made for 1,000 MW, without following due process, resulting in a financial burden of Rs 1,362 crore on the government. He also alleged that the then State government had entered into an agreement with an “outdated” company for construction of the Yadadri Thermal Power Plant, using an outdated sub-critical technology.

Revanth Reddy also alleged that the Bhadradri Thermal Power Project was marred by corruption worth thousands of crores of rupees. He expressed concerns about the lack of transparency into these projects and hoped that the judicial inquiry would bring out all facts.