UP plans to become self-sufficient in power sector

Lucknow, May 7 (UNI) In a bid to remove the tag of being termed as a power starved state, the Uttar Pradesh government has drawn up an ambitious plan to increase the power generation capacity to at least over 7000 MW in the next three years.

By the end of December 2007, the state would add at least 1300 MW, when the units at Vishnu Prayag, Tehri, Paricha and Harduaganj start functioning.

Of the total production target, the UP Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) has not counted the generation to be made by the Reliance- owned Dadri Gas project which is also likely to be commissioned by 2010.

UPPCL managing director Avinesh Awasthi said here that the state government has decided to spruce up the ailing generation units of the state and even sanctioned Rs 450 crore for purchase of equipment from BHEL for repairs and maintenance for increasing the Plant Load Factor(PLF) of some old units.

''The government has decided that in future it would generate about 70 per cent of its required power, so that its dependence on central assistance was reduced,'' the MD said.

Informing about the new units to be commissioned within three years, Mr Awasthi said 2x500 MW Anpara D units has been cleared by the Environment Ministry and the NTPC was preparing its detailed Project Report (DPR). The bid would be opened on May 22 next year for the 2x500 Anpara C project, which would be commissioned in the private sector.

BHEL has already quoted good rates for the 2x250 thermal units at Paricha for which state cabinet is likely to give its approval very soon. Another 2x210 units at Paricha would be commissioned by September next.

The state government had already approved 5x200 thermal units for the Obra thermal power project.

The UPPCL MD said work on the 3x110 MW Srinagar hydro power project -- delayed since long -- would start soon as the foundation for the unit was laid yesterday.

Besides this, the Birla group has agreed to set up 2x500 MW thermal power units at Roza, while the Tata group was interested in setting up a 1000 mw power unit at Chola in Bulansahar district of western UP. Mr Awasthi said from June, the state might also receive power from the Tala hydro project in Bhutan as UP has requested 400 MW from the unit.

He said UP might be benEfitted from the hydro units to be commissioned in Uttaranchal during this summer as the 12 per cent quota of the state would remain unused due to non existence of transmission lines there.

While UP produces 2500 MW, it gets another 2700 MW from the central quota. UP claims that its actual quota from the central pool is 3500 MW. With the state drawing 500 MW per day, the shortfall during peak hours has been pegged at 1500 MW. The overall demand during peak hours is said to be 7500 MW.

UNI MB NAB ARB KP1549