NTPC plans major expansion in South

RAMAGUNDAM, MARCH 11: In a major exercise towards capacity addition and augmentation of its generation in the southern region, the Rs 12,...

RAMAGUNDAM, MARCH 11: In a major exercise towards capacity addition and augmentation of its generation in the southern region, the Rs 12,740 crore Navaratna power giant National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has lined up several projects totalling nearly 5,000 MW.

By the year 2007, NTPC will be well on its way to becoming a 30,000 MW plus company, executive director (corporate communication), R K Nair said, briefing newsmen from Chennai during a plant visit to the NTPC-owned 2,100 MW Ramagundam Superthermal power station in Andhra Pradesh. Presently, NTPC has a generating capacity of 16,795 MW with coal, gas and naphtha-based power stations across the country.

Detailing the various projects proposed during the Ninth and Tenth Plan period, he said the first unit of the 350 MW Kayamkulam combined cycle power project based on naphtha fuel was commissioned by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on Jan 17 last. The second unit of 115 MW was test synchronised with diesel on Feb 28, much ahead of schedule.

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The Kayankulam project will be expanded by 1950 MW, based on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as fuel in stage-II, while the preliminary investigations like topography survey and rapid environmental impact assessment have been completed for the 1000 MW Thermal Power Project at Cheyyur, about 100 kms south of Chennai. The NTPC has proposed an additional 1,500 MW in the second stage. Tamil Nadu will get nearly 50 per cent from this project.

A high-level team, led by K Prakasa Rao, additional general manager, stationed at Ramagundam, is presently on a site tour of the Cheyyur project. While the geo-technical investigation works are nearing completion, a feasibility report is under preparation. The NTPC has obtained the green signal from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board for the project, said Nair. However, the PPA with the Tamil Nadu Government was yet to be signed. The fuel for the project could be LNG, he added.

Moreover, the entire power generated from the proposed stage II of the 2000 MW Talcher Super Thermal power Project in Orissa will be supplied to the southern states. The Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) has already been signed for supply of power from Talcher stage II to the states of Tamil Nadu, which will get 541 MW, Andhra Pradesh – 425 MW, Karnataka – 396 MW, Kerala- 280 MW and Pondicherry – 58 MW. The power requirement in the western region was comparatively far less.