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Vijayan questions CM over power purchase deal, seeks release of files
Vijayan questions CM over power purchase deal, seeks release of files
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Thiruvananthapuram, Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday accused Chief Minister V D Satheesan of creating confusion over the controversial power purchase deal with the GNA platform and demanded that all related files be made public.
In a statement, Vijayan said the chief minister was trying to evade serious allegations instead of providing clarity on the deal and asked why the government was reluctant to release the complete files and correspondence related to it.
He said the KSEB had conducted technical and financial assessments of the proposal to purchase power from Himachal Pradesh and submitted its recommendations to the government. The department minister had also favoured the Himachal proposal after official-level discussions, he said.
Vijayan questioned the basis on which the CM decided to accept GNA Energy's offer despite the objections raised by the KSEB and the views of the department minister.
GNA Energy is a digital over-the-counter platform that brings together potential buyers and sellers of electricity.
He also asked whether the KSEB had informed the government that the GNA offer would cause substantial financial losses and whether a detailed report by the chief engineer had been prepared.
"If the chief minister has nothing to hide, why are the relevant files and the letter received by the government not being released in full?" he asked.
Vijayan also sought clarity on whether the State Electricity Regulatory Commission had stated that there was no need to purchase power at higher rates during the period from November 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027.
Questioning the chief minister's claim that GNA could supply more power than Himachal Pradesh, he said it was contrary to the KSEB's technical reports. He also asked what evidence the government has to establish that GNA could supply power during peak hours.
He further alleged that GNA was neither a power generator nor a licensed electricity trader, but merely a digital platform, and questioned its authority to sell electricity independently.
The opposition leader challenged the chief minister to produce records if any power purchase agreement had been entered into during the previous LDF government without a tender or regulatory commission approval.
Vijayan also questioned the government's decision to accept a direct offer without inviting tenders, asking what constituted the purported emergency that warranted such a move.
He pointed out that the market rate was around ₹5 per unit, while the proposed purchase from GNA was at ₹8.63 and ₹8.90 per unit. He also sought an explanation for the increase in the rate from ₹8.48 mentioned in the initial file.
Referring to investigations by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Securities and Exchange Board of India into the company, he questioned why the government had sought to procure power from it at higher rates without an open tender.
Vijayan alleged that the deal raised suspicions of an attempt to exploit an artificially created power crisis to siphon off public money.
He demanded that the government make public all files and Cabinet notes related to the deal to establish the facts.
The Leader of Opposition's remarks came a day after CM Satheesan had rejected his earlier allegations over the electricity purchase through the GNA platform, asserting that the decision was taken after examining all relevant aspects and keeping the state's interests in mind.
In a statement, Satheesan had said Vijayan's allegations, including that he had improperly intervened in the power purchase decision and that an electricity shortage was artificially created to facilitate the deal, were factually incorrect.
Quoting a note written by former Kerala State Electricity Board chairman M G Rajamanickam on October 29, Satheesan said the Himachal Pradesh authorities had not given any assurance to supply electricity at a cheaper rate.
"Where did the Leader of Opposition get the proposal that even KSEB says it has not received? He should be prepared to make it public," the CM had said.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
