Kolkata: West Bengal Power Minister Manish Gupta on Saturday supported the idea of a coal regulator as mooted by the Centre, but opposed the price pooling concept.
"If there can be a regulatory authority for various sectors like insurance or telecom, why can we not have one for the coal sector? CIL has been arbitrarily hiking prices now and then," Gupta said during a workshop organised by the West Bengal State Electric Distribution Company Ltd (WBSEDCL).
However, opposing the price pooling idea of the Union government, Gupta said it would escalate the fuel cost for existing power utilities in the state using domestic coal.
Under the price pooling mechanism, he said, existing users of domestic coal would subsidise a part of the imported coal requirement of new power facilities.
Speaking about the progress of the plan for a hydro power plant in Bhutan, Gupta said the state government has approached the Centre for clearances, but it was yet to respond.
The state government planned to set up a 550 MW hydel power station on the Amochu river in Bhutan.
A survey is likely to be carried out along the West Bengal Bhutan border for setting-up a similar hydro power project, he said.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, February 16, 2013, 20:17