AGARTALA, Oct 14: Tripura power minister Ratan Lal Nath has said
that the state utility has been incurring a loss of Rs 300 crore
annually.
“While per unit cost of power stands at Rs 7.33, the Tripura State
Electricity Corporation Ltd (TSECL) sells at Rs 6.68, leading to a loss of
Rs 0.65 even after subsidy from the state government,” he said.
Due to high cost, the state power corporation incurs a loss of Rs 25
crore monthly, which stands at Rs 300 crore in a year, the minister
said after inaugurating a 33-KV sub-station at Lembucherra in West
Tripura district.
Notably, TSECL had recently hiked power tariff by an average of 5-7
per cent.
The power utility suffers loss due to “exorbitant gas price, high rate
of transmission cost and recurring expenditure”, an official said.
Nath said the state government provides Rs 63 crore annually to
keep the power tariff under control and this is in addition to the
subsidy of Rs 0.40 per unit.
The minister said the government has been focussing on solar power
and other renewable energy sources to meet the future demand.
“The state government has set a target of producing 500 MW power
from renewable sources by 2030 as the gas stock is rapidly
exhausting in the state. That is why the administration is turning its
focus from gas-based power plants to renewable energy,” he added.
(PTI)
