Hyderabad: The commissioner of Hyderabad Metro Rail project is making fast track arrangements to operate Metro Rail Services from November.
Earlier the state government hadn’t given L&T the nod to purchase power in the open access system. The proposal submitted by L&T requesting to allow purchasing power in the open access system is still pending with the government.
L&T need 70 MW power per day to operate Metro Rails in the city. L&T is of the opinion that it will get power at a cheaper rate in the open access system than from the Southern Power Distribution Company of the TS government.
L&T also requested the TS Electricity Regulatory Commission to allow purchasing power in the open access system. Keeping this in mind, the Regulatory Commission in its tariff order for the year 2017-18, has reduced the power tariff to L&T.
However L&T feels they can get power cheaper in the open access system and are insisting on getting the state government’s permission.
Now that the state government has allowed L&T to purchase power in the open access system for the maintenance of its railway stations, L&T has decided to set up solar power plants in every railway station for its power requirements.
HMR has already signed a memorandum of understanding with GreenKo Energy Company to set up solar rooftops in 64 Metro railway stations.
The lease agreement is for 25 years and in this period HMR will pay Rs 2 per unit, as well as providing space to set up solar rooftops in Metro railway stations. The energy department has accepted L&Ts proposal on the open access system, but the finance department did not accept it, saying if L&T was allowed to purchase power in the open access system the SPDCL would lose revenue. The officials said a decision on this would have to be taken at the Chief Minister’s level.
