Pinarayi accuses CM Satheesan of bypassing KSEB over GNA power deal
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Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday questioned Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan's decision to proceed with a power purchase agreement with GNA, alleging that established procedures and objections from key electricity authorities had been ignored.
Vijayan claimed that Satheesan had acknowledged making the final decision based on the file submitted to him but had failed to explain why the Kerala State Electricity Board's (KSEB) proposal to procure electricity from Himachal Pradesh was rejected despite undergoing technical and financial scrutiny.
He pointed out that the department minister had also supported the Himachal Pradesh proposal following discussions among officials. Vijayan sought an explanation for the Chief Minister's decision to favour the GNA offer over the recommendations of the KSEB, the minister and the State Electricity Regulatory Commission.
He further questioned whether the KSEB had warned the government that the GNA agreement could cause substantial financial losses and whether its Chief Engineer had submitted a detailed assessment.
Alleging that the unilateral decision could place an unnecessary financial burden on the electricity board and consumers, Vijayan demanded that the government release the complete file and correspondence related to the agreement.
He also sought clarification on the Regulatory Commission's assessment of power requirements and higher procurement rates for the November 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027 period.
With IANS inputs