GIPCL8217;s SLPP commissioned

SURAT, Nov 7: With the commissioning of the first unit of 125 MW of Surat Lignite Power Project SLPP, in Mandvi taluka of Surat distric...

SURAT, Nov 7: With the commissioning of the first unit of 125 MW of Surat Lignite Power Project SLPP, in Mandvi taluka of Surat district, on Friday, the Gujarat Industries Power Company Limited GIPCL became the first company in India to have set up any coal- or lignite-based power plant after the liberalisation of the power project.

And with GIPCL expecting to commission the second unit within a month, the SLPP would be generating 250 MW of power.

According to a GIPCL spokesman, the first unit of SLPP is the first in the country to go for the latest environment-friendly circulating fluidised bed combustion CFBC technology for the boilers.

Apart from setting up the power plant, the GIPCL has also developed an associated lignite mines in the close vicinity of the power plant and has thus become the first company in the private sector and second in Gujarat to develop lignite mines.

While the GIPCL obtained the technology for setting up the boilers from Germany, BHEL supplied, erected and commissioned the entire boiler plant equipment.

The GIPCL has developed the power plant and the mines at a total investment of Rs 1530 crore, out of which Rs 1225 crore had been allocated for the power plant and Rs 305 crore for mines.

While the company had acquired 2000 hectare land for power plant and mines, water requirement for the power plant had been arranged from Tapi river.

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GIPCL, according to the spokesman, has also signed a power purchase agreement with GEB. The entire power generated will be absorbed in the GEB grid system. With the commissioning of this unit, the installed generating capacity of GIPCL, including its plant at Vadodara, will work to 430 MW, which will rise to 555 MW after commissioning of second unit by December.

From a mere 145 MW capacity company till 1997 and meeting the power requirement of its promoter companies, GIPCL would be increasing its installed capacity to 555 MW by the end of this year.

GIPCL8217;s ambitious plans include further expansion of this project by 250 MW and extending its area of mining to new areas in the adjoining Valia taluka of Bharuch district, which is expected to be bring down cost of lignite and in turn tariff for sale of energy by GIPCL and GEB.