Andhra Pradesh: No Graft in Solar PPAs Through SECI, Says Jagan
Vijayawada: Former chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has dismissed allegations of corruption in solar power purchase agreement (PPA) through the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), calling them baseless and politically motivated. Affirming that the PPA was between SECI and the state government at the cheapest price of Rs 2.49 per unit, he accused certain sections of the Telugu media of spreading false narratives to tarnish the image of his previous government. Speaking to the media here on Thursday, Y.S. Jagan clarified that the agreement was between the Central government, represented by SECI, and the state government. "The question of a third party does not arise, and allegations of bribery involving my name are incoherent and unfounded," Jagan said.
When asked about his meeting with Gautam Adani, he said an industrialist meeting with a Chief Minister was nothing unusual and the Adani group has various interests in the State. He rubbished the reports of his name being in a report issued by the US court. He said, “The two vernacular newspapers have been cooking up stories and publishing distorted versions. I will take legal recourse and file for Rs 100 crore damages if they do not publish an open apology within 48 hours.”
Giving details of the PPA, the former chief minister said, SECI has offered to supply 9,000 MW of power to the State at Rs 2.49 per unit and waived inter-state transmission cost and 3,000 MW would be supplied in September 2024. Jagan said, “This is a bumper offer as it is the cheapest price the State has ever had and we accepted it after following the due procedures. We received the letter from SECI on September 15, 2021, which was discussed in the cabinet and sent to an expert committee, which gave its suggestions after 40 days of study and then the matter was finalised in the scheduled cabinet meeting in December. The same SECI has offered power to Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu, but it was higher than the price we got -Rs 2.49 per unit.”
Y.S. Jagan stated that Chandrababu Naidu, who always speaks of wealth creation, had agreed to buy power at an average price of Rs 5.90 per unit, while we agreed to buy it for Rs 2.49, which would help the farmers get nine free power and improve their standard of living. Responding to TD’s claims that Gujarat receives power at lower rates, Jagan clarified that production costs in Gujarat are inherently lower. "Even in Gujarat, the quoted post-Covid price was Rs 2.62 per unit, higher than what we have got," he added.
