Friends,

In a rare show of solidarity, REL's electricity consumers have
succeeded in helping BEST's electricity consumers!

MERC passed an order on 6.11.2007
on the issue of the approval of the Long term Power
Purchase agreement between Tata Power Co (TPC) and BEST.

The issue was of allocation of TPC's power amongst BEST, REL and
TPC's own distribution. TPC-BEST have an 80 year history of firm
agreements and this time REL was trying to get MERC to interfere and
restrict BEST's allocation (while enhancing REL's allocation) of
TPC's 1777MW power.

On the day of the Public Hearing held by MERC (a couple of months
back) there were volatile arguments - from REL's barrage of senior
advocates - and against them stood a handful of us (REL) consumers -
who opposed MERC's intereference, citing reasons of law.

Well, sometimes the truth wins faster than expected .. there is no
doubt that it ALWAYS wins in the long run .. !!

MERC ruled that the agreement stands ... BEST would get its
contracted 800 MW of power from TPC for the next 10 years...censured
REL for not entering into an agreement with either TPC or any other
generator .. gave REL 30 days to submit its own agreement with the
Dahanu generation plant ... and BEST may not have to purchase
expensive power from elsewhere...

I think this is a victory of consumer solidarity, more than anything
else.

In the entire public hearing, there were only 2 BEST consumers and
about 7 REL consumers (yours truly included - see page 39 of the
Order - which has extensively quoted what I presented).

A few more such instances, and we will have the true meaning of
democracy emerging !

Wish you all a very safe and peaceful Diwali.

Warm regards,