No question reversing decision on GNDTP Bathinda closure : Amarinder
No question reversing decision on GNDTP Bathinda closure : Amarinder : Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has ruled out reversal of the government’s decision to close down the Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant (GNDTP), Bathinda, pointing to the non-feasibility of its continued operations.
In a statement issued here on Sunday, the Chief Minister explained the circumstances that led to the closure of the Bathinda thermal plant and two units of Ropar Thermal Plant, saying the decision had to be taken mainly due to lack of power demand in the State and availability of cheaper Power from other alternate sources.
Reiterating that no employee would lose his job because of the closure and all workers would be accommodated within the region, the Chief Minister said that after closing down plant operations completely, the surplus manpower of the Bathinda plant shall be utilised on other works where there is shortage of staff.
This will increase productivity as it will stop increase of power generation cost over the year, besides resulting in savings to PSPCL, since power from GNDTP Bathinda was being generated at a very high cost as compared, with overall cost of electricity in PSPCL making generation from GNDTP units unviable, said CM. 
Captain Amarinder once again made it clear that no retrenchment of the staff (regular/contract basis) shall be done and all of them shall be adjusted suitably in the nearby locations, with full pay protection.
Giving details of the power situation in the state, the Chief Minister pointed out that power demand in Punjab varies very widely during paddy and non-paddy season. This year, the maximum demand had been recorded at 11600 MW in summer months and 5600 MW in winter months. Further, in winters, there is a lot of variation in the day and night time demand, with the latter coming down to around 3,000 MW. Though the State has become power surplus, generation capacity is utilize fully only in paddy periods of 4 months and, for the remaining 8 months, the same remains underutilized.
- PTC News
