In a shocking revelation that has sent ripples through Telangana's political circles, senior Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader T Harish Rao has leveled serious allegations against the Congress-led state government, accusing them of orchestrating a massive financial scam in the power sector worth approximately ₹50,000 crore.
The Press Conference Revelation
Addressing journalists at Telangana Bhavan on Wednesday, Harish Rao presented detailed evidence to support his claims. The former minister revealed that the state cabinet had recently approved the establishment of three new thermal power plants with a combined capacity of 2,400 MW. These plants are proposed to be built at Ramagundam, Palvoncha, and Makthal locations across Telangana.
The government claims that construction rights will be awarded to whichever entity offers power at the lowest cost, whether NTPC or TSGenco. However, Rao questioned the transparency of this process, pointing to significant discrepancies in project cost estimates.
Discrepancies in Project Costs
The BRS leader presented compelling comparative data that raised serious questions about the proposed project costs. According to Rao, NTPC has already submitted a Detailed Project Report (DPR) estimating the cost at ₹12.23 crore per MW. In stark contrast, TSGenco's DPR places the cost at ₹14 crore per MW for the same capacity.
"When NTPC can execute the project for ₹12.23 crore per MW, why is the government proposing ₹14 crore through TSGenco? Who stands to benefit from this additional ₹2 crore per MW?" Rao questioned during the press conference, demanding transparency from the Revanth Reddy administration.
Historical Cost Comparisons
Harish Rao provided historical context by comparing the proposed costs with previously constructed power plants under the BRS regime. The Yadadri plant was built at ₹8.63 crore per MW, while the Bhadrachalam plant cost ₹9.74 crore per MW. Even NTPC's stage-1 project was completed at ₹12.23 crore per MW.
The proposed plants under the current government would cost ₹14 crore per MW, which Rao claims could escalate to ₹16 crore by project completion. This represents a significant increase compared to previous projects, raising suspicions about inflated estimates designed to accommodate commissions.
Infrastructure Advantages Ignored
Rao highlighted that the proposed Ramagundam project site already has all necessary infrastructure in place, requiring no additional land acquisition or rehabilitation efforts. This existing infrastructure should logically reduce project costs, yet the estimates show a substantial increase.
"Instead of leveraging existing infrastructure to reduce costs, they are increasing costs by ₹7 crore per MW, which translates to ₹5,600 crore for the 800 MW plant at Ramagundam alone," Rao stated, emphasizing the financial implications of these decisions.
The Scale of the Alleged Scam
Across all three proposed thermal power plants, Harish Rao alleged that nearly ₹15,000-20,000 crore is being artificially escalated through manipulated DPRs. This forms the core of what he describes as a massive scam that could ultimately burden Telangana's taxpayers and power consumers.
The cost implications extend beyond construction to power generation costs. While NTPC's stage-1 plant currently supplies power at ₹4.88 to ₹5.96 per unit, the proposed Ramagundam project is estimated to cost ₹7.92 per unit according to its own DPR. This could potentially rise to ₹9-10 per unit after project escalation.
"Isn't this a betrayal of the state's interests just to earn commissions?" Rao questioned, calling for immediate investigation into the matter and demanding that the government reconsider these projects with transparent costing.
The allegations have sparked serious concerns about financial management in Telangana's power sector, with opposition parties demanding immediate clarification from the Congress government regarding these substantial cost variations and the selection process for project implementation.
