Be realistic on targets,power min tells CEA

Describing the Central Electricity Authoritys CEA projection of generating 25,000 MW each year in the next two years as too ambitious, the power ministry has asked it to prepare a realistic blueprint detailing the status of projects under construction.

The ministry has asked the Authority to re-consider the 12th Plan capacity in a manner so that it does not exceed 18,000-20,000 MW each year. In a recent stock-taking meeting to ascertain the status of under-construction projects,power secretary P Uma Shankar said there could be slippages in 11th Plan target of generating 78,989 MW including 65,930 MW coal based and 1,086 gas-based which could spill over into the 12th Plan. Senior ministry officials said that it was imperative to have a project-wise detailed analysis of the delays in the 11th Plan projects and make a real time assessment on their completion.

CEA may undertake such an exercise and on that basis re-consider the phasing of 12th Plan capacity such that the likely capacity during a single year did not exceed 18,000-20,000 MW, Uma Shankar said. Responding to the secretarys concerns that power evacuation systems for the upcoming projects should also be simultaneously developed by expediting transmission capacity within a stipulated timeframe,Powergrid Corporation CMD S K Chaturvedi said his organisation in association with CEA was carrying out studies for evolving associated transmission schemes for power projects.