The Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) has expressed unhappiness over the Haryana Power Purchase Commission replacing its lawyer MG Ramachandran, just days before hearings on ‘compensatory tariff’ sought by power generators began earlier this month.
Daily hearings have begun on appeals by utilities of Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Punjab on the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (CERC) order of February 21, 2014, allowing ‘compensatory tariff’ to be paid to Tata Power and Adani Power for their power plants in Gujarat.
The CERC’s order was challenged by the four distribution utilities. Ramachandran was recently replaced and the new counsels sought more time to familiarise themselves with the matter.
APTEL said: “We must express our unhappiness about this prayer for adjournment. If the appellants wanted to change their counsel they should have done so well in advance.”