The PSEB has also decided to introduce a voluntary load disclosure scheme (VLDS) for the domestic power consumer and small commercial establishments on the pattern of VLDS already introduced for the agriculture power consumer.

Mr H.C.Sood, Member, Distribution, PSEB, said here today a decision to float tenders for 2000 MW power generation was taken by the PSEB at a meeting recently. He said the party which got the tender would be allowed to set up its power plant in or outside the state.

He also said the PSEB was holding talks with Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) to set up a gas-based power plant at Doraha. This plant would be set up at a cost of Rs 4,000 crore and start functioning in 2006- 2007.

Mr Sood was here in connection with a load increase camp organised by the PSEB for agriculture power consumers under the VLDS for tubewells motors.

At the camp, a large number of farmers participated.

Mr A.S. Gulati, Chief Engineer, Distribution, South, PSEB, Mr H.S. Nagpal, Superintending Engineer (SE), Distribution Circle, Sangrur; Mr V.K. Singhal, SE, Distribution Circle, Patiala, Mr DPS Grewal, Senior XEN, Distribution Division, Sangrur, and Mr N.K. Garg, Senior XEN, Distribution Division, Dirba, also attended the camp.

Mr Sood said the PSEB would introduce the VLDS for the domestic power consumer and small commercial establishments after January 31 so that they too could avail themselves of the benefits of the scheme.

He said the PSEB had purchased power to the tune of Rs 650 crore till December last to meet the shortage. It would purchase power to the tune of Rs 800 crore during this financial year.

He said out of the total nine lakh agriculture power consumers in the state, 1.10 lakh had got the load of their tubewell motors increased since December 23, the date of declaration of the VLDS, due to which load had increased sharply.

He assured the employees of the PSEB that after the “unbundling” of the PSEB, no employee would be transferred. He said “unbundling” could be done by June 9,2005.

As per the Central Electricity Act passed in June 2003, states would have to “unbundle” their electricity boards in two years.

Mr H.S. Nagpal, SE, Distribution Circle, Sangrur, said under VLDS for tubewell motors since December 23, as many as 16,958 agriculture power consumers had got the load of their tubewell motors increased in the Sangrur distribution circle which had enabled the PSEB to earn Rs 486 lakh.