PATIALA: Powercom engineers of Patiala region expressed deep displeasure over the suspension of, Chief Engineer Ropar thermal plant by PSPCL management and the manner in which the Punjab Government removed the Director Generation . The two engineers have been convicted on the basis of baseless and non-technical facts by the management. They also strongly opposed the Electricity Amendment Bill 2025 and the attempt to sell the assets of the power sector.
Regional protest meeting was attended by more than 100 engineers and Jatinder Singh Oberoi, Preetinder Singh and Damandeep Singh Mann regional secretaries informed that the allegations levelled against both the above engineers are based on baseless allegation as comparing the thermal plants installed about 35-40 years ago and based on old sub-critical technology with the latest super-critical technology private thermal plants is not justified.
They claimed that according to the data released by the Power Purchase and Regulation Wing of the department, the cost of generating electricity at the private thermal plant Talwandi Sabo based on new technology was Rs 3.77 per unit and at the government thermal plants established at Goindwal Sahib and Ropar based on old sub-critical technology it was Rs 3.81 per unit and Rs 3.91 per unit respectively, according to which the actual difference is only 04 to 14 paise.
It seems that the management and the government only want to create an atmosphere of fear and panic among the engineers and sell the lands of PSPCL and PSTCL to corporates through a hidden agenda. Further unnecessary political interference is being done in the technical works and procurement processes of PSPCL undermining its autonomy and controlling the powers of the Board of Directors authorized to take decisions regarding the work of the department, due to which the performance of PSPCL will be affected.