The Punjab cabinet has given its go-ahead to the closure of the inefficient power units in Bathinda and Ropar with effect from January 1, 2018, without any job losses for the employees.A decision to this effect was taken on Wednesday at a meeting of the Council of Ministers, chaired by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. The cabinet decision was based on the report of the sub-committee constituted to look into the matter. The sub-committee had cabinet ministers Manpreet Badal, Rana Gurjit Singh and Charanjit Singh Channi.As per the decision, taken in line with the guidelines of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) to retire inefficient and economically unviable power plants in operation for more than 25 years, all units of 460 MW Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant (GNDTP), Bathinda and Unit-1 & 2 (2x210 MW) of 1260 MW Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant (GGSSTP), Ropar, will be shut down from January 1.
It may be noted that all the units of GNDTP, Bathinda, had been in operation for nearly four decades, and Unit-1 & 2 of GGSSTP, Ropar had already completed 33 years.All regular employees of these units would be adjusted within Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL). Further, there would be no retrenchment of contractual workers, who would be adjusted within PSPCL, Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited (PSTCL) and Independent Power Producer (IPPs) namely GVK, TSPL, NPL in the same capacity, as near as possible.It was also decided by the Cabinet to enhance focus on capacity addition in generation with wind power, solar power and other sources of renewable energy to avoid any shortage of power in the state.The cabinet mandated PSPCL to explore the possibility of establishing 5x800 MW Supercritical Technology at Ropar in near future to further boost power generation in the state.