Govt plans 1 lakh per day fine for missing energy saving target

NEW DELHI: The power ministry plans to impose huge penalties of over 1 lakh per day on industries that fail to achieve energy efficiency targets under the three-year Perform, Achieve and Trade ( PAT) programme starting April 1.

PAT, which aims to increase industrial energy efficiency, is expected to bring down energy consumption by 5%, amounting to an avoided capacity of over 5,600 MW over the three-year period.

There would be strict penalties, as well as an incentives, for industries participating in PAT, starting April 1. The penalties would be more than 1 lakh per day, apart from some other charges based on tonnes of oil equivalent consumption, a senior power ministry official said.

"Those entities that fail to achieve the targets will have to pay huge penalties. Other (entities) that perform better will be awarded Energy Savings Certificates (ESCerts), which can be traded," the official said.

Entities that are short of targets can also buy these certificates to make up for the shortfall.