All eyes on KCR’s reply on power deal with Chhattisgarh

As the Justice Narasimha Reddy Commission probing the PPAs and construction of Bhadradri and Yadadri thermal power projects had asked former Chief

Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to submit his reply by June 15, all eyes are now set on the moves of the pink party chief.

KCR is said to be consulting his legal experts on the reply that needs to be given to the commission. But still it is not clear whether he would be sending the reply by Saturday or not.

Sources in the Commission said that so far they have not received any communication but would wait till Saturday and if KCR fails to respond they may have to issue summons to him to appear in person before the commission.

“KCR’s reply to the notices is important to move further in the probe into alleged irregularities in the power purchase agreement (PPA) entered with Chhattisgarh government in 2015. The commission has already gathered information from the top energy officials and is waiting for KCR reply who finalised the agreement for power purchase,” said sources. Former Energy secretary Arvind Kumar, who appeared before the commission, reportedly told the commission that he was opposed to the MoU between Telangana and Chhattisgarh on various grounds that the excess power purchase tariff during that period. The Commission also questioned Arvind for leaving the post of Energy Secretary. Was it because he raised doubts on the agreement and its financial implication on the state, they wanted to know. The Commission has sought the details of the power agreements and the role of the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (ERC) in approving the PPA .

“KCR influenced the ERC despite the then energy secretary Arvind Kumar objecting to the power purchasing agreement,” is what the charges are. The Commission will probe deep into the matter and unravel the facts in the PPAs”, sources said. The construction of semi thermal Yadadri and Bhadradri thermal plants and the contracts awarded to the BHEL was also under probe. The former CM would also be questioned on these issues.

The commission had already grilled former energy officials, including former Transco and Genco CMD D Prabhakara Rao and sought the details of the PPAs and the role of the influential BRS leaders mainly KCR in entering MoU with Chhattisgarh.