‘Give final response on 3 power projects by Jan 15’

Shimla: As Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday strongly took up the case of state’s rights and rightful share with the Union power and housing and urban affairs minister Manohar Lal Khattar, the Union minister directed Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL) officials to provide a final response about three power projects by Jan 15, 2025. The chief minister, during a meeting with Khattar in Shimla, asserted that if SJVNL is unwilling to comply with the state’s energy policy, the state govt is ready to take over the 210 megawatt (MW) Luhri Phase-1, the 382 MW Sunni and the 66 MW Dhaulasidh hydropower projects. Sukhu raised the issue of royalty aligned with the state govt’s energy policy, outlining the policy which mandates 12% royalty to the state government for the first 12 years, 18% for the subsequent 18 years and 30% for the next 10 years in the power projects. Sukhu said that private power companies are already complying with this policy and emphasised that central public sector undertakings (PSUs) should also follow it as well. He assured that the state government is willing to reimburse SJVNL for the expenses incurred so far on these projects. tnn

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