New Delhi, Dec 02: To elicit responses of two key shareholders in Dabhol Power Corporation (DPC) in the restart of the power plant, the Supreme Court today made subsidiaries of GE and Bechtel as necessary parties in the petition filed by DPC against Maharashtra Electricity Board (MSEB). A bench comprising Justice Y K Sabharwal and Justice D M Dharmadhikari also asked them to respond to suggestions about fixing interim tariff for sale of electricity by DPC to MSEB.
After U.S. power major Enron pulled out of the project, the entire venture went into litigation leading to the closure of the power plant almost 24 months back.
The companies impleaded as parties were GE subsidiary capital India Power Mauritius and Bechtel subsidiary energy enterprise and were asked to tell the court about their response to the plant going back into operation.
Observing that "prima facie we are also of the opinion that it is in everybody's interest that the plant starts functioning again", the bench had said it would consider the issue of fixing the interim tariff at which MSEB should buy power from DPC.
DPC, in its petition, had objected to MSEB's decision to approach MERC on fixation of interim tariff saying the apex court had passed a consent order that none of the parties would approach either the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) or the tribunal on their dispute over the power purchase agreement (PPA). Bureau Report