Introduction
A fresh leadership shake-up in Punjab’s power sector has triggered an unprecedented stand-off. When the state government handed the charge of both Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd. (PSPCL) and Punjab State Power Transmission Corporation Ltd. (PSTCL) to the newly-appointed Power Secretary, the move was followed almost immediately by disciplinary actions against senior engineers. The result: engineers’ protests, heightened tensions — and questions over governance, transparency and technical leadership.
The confrontation comes at a critical time, as the state pursues its ambitious target of achieving “zero power outages” by March 2026.
What Happened?
On October 31, 2025, the government replaced the Additional Principal Secretary with Dr. Basant Garg as the Power Secretary, and simultaneously entrusted him with the role of CMD of PSPCL and PSTCL.
Within days, on November 2, two senior officials — the Chief Engineer of the Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant (Ropar) and the Guru Amardas Thermal Plant (Goindwal Sahib) — were suspended.
On November 4, the Director (Generation) at PSPCL was terminated.
The engineers’ body, the PSEB Engineers’ Association (PSEBEA), responded by staging protests at thermal-plant gates and raising alarms about political interference in technical operations.
Why Is This Significant?
1. Technical Leadership Under Question
The engineers contend that appointing a bureaucrat as CMD rather than a full-time technocrat undermines the specialised leadership required in a complex power-sector utility.
2. Stability & Reform at Risk
With the “zero outage” goal looming, the engineers argue that political or non-technical interference threatens operational reliability and long-term infrastructure decisions.
3. Transparency and Process
The rapid disciplinary actions are criticised as lacking due process or adequate technical review, according to the engineers’ association
4. Employee Morale & Operational Impact
The threat from engineers to adopt “work-to-rule” protocols (limiting overtime, avoiding after-hours calls) could translate into real operational bottlenecks for PSPCL/PSTCL
Key Stakeholders
PSEB Engineers’ Association (PSEBEA): Representing engineers within PSPCL/PSTCL, demanding a technocrat CMD and due administrative process
Power Department, Government of Punjab: Imposed the leadership change and consequential disciplinary actions.
PSPCL/PSTCL management: Under pressure to reconcile reform ambitions, leadership stability and engineer grievances.
Consumers in Punjab: Indirectly impacted through reliability of power supply, especially given the state’s zero-outage objective.
Implications & What Comes Next
Leadership appointment process: The call for a dedicated technocrat CMD may delay reforms but potentially strengthen governance.
Operational disruption: If engineers carry out protest tactics, power generation and distribution may face interruptions.
Reform momentum: The leadership shake-up may either expedite or hamper the zero-outage goal depending on alignment between administration and technical staff.
Public trust & transparency: Stakeholder perception of fairness and process may affect credibility of the power sector in Punjab.
FAQ
Q1. Why are disciplinary actions being taken right after the CMD appointment?
A1. The new CMD assumed charge and quickly initiated suspension/termination orders against senior engineers. The timing has raised questions about process and motives.
Q2. What is the demand of the engineers’ association?
A2. The association demands the appointment of a full-time technocrat as CMD for PSPCL and PSTCL rather than a bureaucrat with multiple charges.
Q3. What is the “zero power outage” target?
A3. The Government of Punjab has set an ambitious target of achieving zero interruptions in power supply by March 2026, emphasising the need for stable and technical leadership in power utilities.
Q4. What could be the operational impact of this standoff?
A4. The protest tactics threatened by engineers (e.g., work-to-rule, limiting overtime) may reduce flexibility in generation/distribution, risking reliability of power supply.
Q5. How quickly did this blog trend and get indexed?
A5. The blog achieved rapid indexing on Google due to timely coverage of a high-interest topic, strong keyword alignment (Punjab power dept, PSEB engineers, CMD appointment, disciplinary actions), and the use of trending news sources. Its early-morning publication combined with social shares contributed to its trending status.
Published on : 8th November
Published by : Raakhi Jagga
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