Says the pricing is meant to subsidise private power generators

The Odisha government has objected to the new coal price pooling formula proposed by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and Coal India Ltd (CIL), saying the revised pricing mechanism is aimed at subsidising private power generators. “If pooling of price is followed, it will ensure subsidy to those power plants, which do not have coal linkage. Private power generators will be mostly benefited at the cost of the state and the general public,” said Pradip K Jena, state energy secretary in a letter addressed to the Central power ministry.