VIJAYAWADA:
Special chief secretary (energy) K. Vijayanand stated in a press release on August 19 that the DISCOMs have liquidated all the dues to generators up to May 30 under the Late Payment Surcharge (LPS) scheme against the total outstanding of nearly ₹17,075 crore.
Responding to some media reports which said the A.P. DISCOMs have been barred from procuring power in the exchanges because of their mounting debts to generators, Mr. Vijayanand said the Ministry of Power formulated the Electricity (Late Payment Surcharge and Related Matters) Rules 2022 for clearance of dues, including LPS, up to the date of the relevant notification dated June 3, 2022.
These rules are applicable to dues of generating companies and inter-state transmission and electricity trading licensees.
The dues are being paid in 12 instalments by Power Finance Corporation Limited and Rural Electrification Corporation Limited as direct disbursement to all the generators covered under the LPS scheme.
The A.P. DISCOMs paid the first instalment of ₹1,407 crore on August 5. On August 18 (Thursday), ₹412 crore were shown as dues to the generators in PRAAPTI (Payment Ratification And Analysis in Power Procurement for bringing Transparency in Invoicing of Generators) portal.
As per LPS rules, the short -term access to electricity markets is restricted by the National Load Dispatch Centre on the basis of data contained in the above portal.
However, these dues were already paid to the generators and some of the dues uploaded to PRAAPTI portal were liquidated under LPS scheme.
Mr. Vijayanand asserted that the DISCOMs have strictly followed the LPS Rules, 2022. There are no overdues pending as on date to the generators. The second instalment under the LPS scheme is going to be due on September 5, 2022.
The dues already paid were shown by PRAAPTI portal as amounts payable to the generators.
The restriction on short term access to electricity markets has been removed after the reconciliation of dues was done and the same was informed to officers looking after the PRAAPTI portal.
From 00:00 hours of August 19, the DISCOMS have restarted trading activity on the power exchange.
The special CS further said the DISCOMs met a total demand of 211 Million Units (MU) without any interruptions on August 18. A total demand of 208 MU is likely to be met on Friday.
