India’s ‘least cost’ power plant synchronised

BAKRESHWAR (WEST BENGAL), July 23 : The first unit of 3x210 MW Bakreshwar Thermal Power Plant, the least cost project of its kind in the ...

BAKRESHWAR (WEST BENGAL), July 23 : The first unit of 3×210 MW Bakreshwar Thermal Power Plant, the least cost project of its kind in the country, was synchronised by West Bengal governor Shyamal Kumar Sen here today. The commercial production of the long-awaited unit is expected to commence in two months, official sources said.

The power plant, mainly funded by Organistaion for Economic Cooperation and Funding (OECF) of Japan, is the only one in the country where the cost involved is Rs 3.6 crore per MW against the standard norm of Rs four crore per MW, the sources said. The power generated from the unit would be supplied to the state grid, state power secretary R Banerjee said.

The synchronisation of the first unit was done in a record time of 38 months; 42 days before the scheduled time stipulated by Central Electricity Authority (CEA), he said.

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He said that despite sanctions by Japanese government after the Pokhran blasts last year the OECF funding was unhindered as the work on the project had progressed very well.

The Rs 2300 crore project cost of the power plant was split between OECF, which provided 85 per cent and West Bengal government, which gave the rest.

The loan agreements for Bakreshwar thermal power project amounting to 27.069 billion yen and 8.659 billion yen were signed between the government of India and the Japanese government.

G D Goutama, the managing director of West Bengal Power Development Corporation Ltd (WBPDCL), which implemented the project, said the project comprised of four packages – the main plant, transmission, coal handling and water system.

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