Orissa signs three MoUs for power plants in private sector

Bhubaneswar, Jun 09 (UNI) In a bid to develop power projects in the state, the Orissa government today signed three Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with independent power producers for generation of 3070 Mw of power at an estimated investment of 13,402 crore.

This would be the first of its kind in the state that three independent power producres(IPP) would set up their plant in Orissa.

Nava Bharat Power Private ltd intends to set up 2X520 Mw coal fired thermal power project at Nua hata village in Angul district with an investment of Rs 4675 crore.

The Mahanadi Aban Power Company Limited had proposed to set up 1030 pit head coal based power project at Mangalpur in Dhenkanal district with an investment of Rs 4,527 crore.

The third power producers GMR Energy would establish a 2X500 MW of pithead coal based power plant also in Dhenkanal district with an investment of Rs 4200 crore.

As per the MoUs the developers would have to contribute six paisa per unit of the energy sold out to outside the state towards the environment management fund and the power generated in excess of 80 per cent from the power plant would be made available to the state at the variable cost.

The state government would have the right to purchase 25 per cent of the power sent out from the thermal power plant as per the tariff determined by the Regulatory Commission and rehabilitation of the land oustees would be carried out as per the new RR policy of the government.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik present at the signing of the MoUs said the state would be financially benefited to the tune of Rs 150 crores every year from each of the three power plant. He urged the promoters to give careful consideration to the environmental aspect.

Mr Patnaik said with the rich coal resources Orissa could generate one lakh MW of power for the next 100 years and hoped that soon the state would emerge as the power house of the country.

State Energy Minister S N Patra said the government was committed to provide electricity to 30 lakh BPL families in the state.

NPPL vice-chairman Harischandrta Prasad, MAPC Managing Director Reji Abraham and GMR Energy Limited Director (Business) B.Vanchi signed the MoU with the Energy Secretary Asit Kumar Tripathy.

UNI DP SJC MP ND1944