expressindia.indianexpress.com
expressindia web
HomeBlogsCricketAstrology ShoppingTendersClassifieds Reader Comments
Font Size
Expressindia » Story

Tata Power pulls plug on Rajasthan discoms as payment arrears mount

fe Bureau

Posted: Jan 04, 2013 at 0126 hrs IST
Tata Power said it has decided to stop supplying power to three state-owned distribution companies in Rajasthan. (Reuters)

Mumbai Tata Power said it has decided to stop supplying power to three state-owned distribution companies in Rajasthan, citing consistent failure to meet payment obligations.

The three Rajasthan discoms account for 10% of the total capacity from the 4,000 MW Mundra plant.

Tata Power, which is seeking a higher tariff at Mundra to pass on rising fuel costs, said it had sent several notices to discoms, which had failed to fulfill their obligations including collateral arrangements, despite repeated and regular reminders.

The company said it would make alternative arrangements for contracting and selling this power, alleging that Rajasthan discoms have been defaulting on payments, leading to “large outstanding dues.” Tata Power did not specify how much money it is owed by the Rajasthan discoms.

As a result of the defaults, Tata Power said “it finds it difficult to manage payment for its obligations to buy fuel and discharge its various obligations.” Shares of Tata Power were down 1.39% on the BSE on Thursday to close at R110.10. The announcement on the Rajathan discoms came in after market hours.

Tata Power, India’s largest integrated power company, reported a consolidated net loss of R83.80 crore in its most recent quarter as it took a hit of R250 crore on an impairment charge for its unit, Coastal Gujarat Power Ltd (CGPL), the holding company for its flagship Mundra plant. Ratings agency Moody’s downgraded Tata Power last year, saying the company was breaching debt to equity covenants for its CGPL unit because of impairments resulting from coal price increases and forex losses.

India’s state-electricity boards have been facing mounting losses and debt, prompting the government to clear a R1.9 lakh crore-debt recast package last September. The bailout, largely similar to an intervention in 2003 when losses of SEBs were taken over through RBI-guaranteed bonds as a “one-time” financial clean-up exercise, aims to ease SEBs’ immediate cash flow problems and stem recurring losses.

In an interview with FE in November last year, Tata Power managing director Anil Sardana criticised the plan, calling it “bad money chasing bad money.”

“Such large losses can be corrected through complete efficiency improvement. There is nothing in the plan which will do that,” he had said.

Print
 
Post Comments
Name* Email ID*
Subject* Country*
Message*
Characters remaining
 
TERMS OF USE: The views, opinions and comments posted are your, and are not endorsed by this website. You shall be solely responsible for the comment posted here. The website reserves the right to delete, reject, or otherwise remove any views, opinions and comments posted or part thereof. You shall ensure that the comment is not inflammatory, abusive, derogatory, defamatory &/or obscene, or contain pornographic matter and/or does not constitute hate mail, or violate privacy of any person (s) or breach confidentiality or otherwise is illegal, immoral or contrary to public policy. Nor should it contain anything infringing copyright &/or intellectual property rights of any person(s).
I agree to the terms of use.

Latest News

Business

Showbiz

Sports

1993 serial blasts case: Sanjay Dutt surrenders before TADA court

No arrest for posts on social sites without permission: Supreme Court

Olympic suspension could end in next 2 months: Sports Minister

Varun Gandhi hate speech case: Sting says witnesses forced to turn hostile

High Court orders setting up of medical board to examine Om Prakash Chautala...

Sanjay Dutt withdraws plea, set to surrender before TADA court tomorrow

BJP calls case against Kataria a conspiracy, says GoM on CBI an eyewash

More
© The Indian Express Limited. All rights reserved
Advertise With Us | Privacy Policy | Feedback | Express Group | Site Map