Piyush Goyal launches App to procure coal, portal for power purchase

NEW DELHI: Flexibility in coal utilisation and transparency in power procurement by states could save the consumer about Rs 20,000 crore annually in five years, the minister for power, coal, renewable energy and mines Piyush Goyal, said.

On Wednesday, Goyal launched a mobile application facilitating flexible coal swap between state-run and private plants and aweb portal to make electricity purchase by states transparent. States have been found to be flouting merit order of electricity dispatch giving flimsy and extraneous reasons.

After the launch of the Merit app — Merit Order Dispatch of Electricity for Rejuvenation of Income and Transparency — states will have to explain reasons for deviating from merit order scheduling, Goyal said He said the app will demystify opaqueness related to power purchase by state distribution companies.