Delhi to lay dedicated power lines for Chhattisgarh plant

New Delhi, July 15 (UNI) An investment of Rs 10,000 crore would be made in Janjgir-Champa district of Chhattisgarh to develop a 2000 MW dedicated plant, Delhi Government said today, promising electricity shortages would not plague the capital in 2010 when it hosts the Commonwealth Games.

The MoU for setting up of the plant, comprising four units of 500 MW each, would be signed on August 7 in the presence of Chief Ministers Raman Singh and Sheila Dikshit, Delhi Power Minister Haroun Yusuf told reporters.

The Minister, who returned here after surveying the proposed site for the plant as well as after meetings with Dr Singh and senior officials in Raipur, said a 1,000 km dedicated HVDC line would link the plant with the capital.

Delhi Government would share 30 per cent of the total project cost while the remaining 70 per cent would be raised through Power Finance Corporation and other financial institutions, he informed.

The Government is planning to acquire 3,000 hectares for the plant site. Construction work on the project, following all necessary formalities, was expected to start next year. The NTPC and BHEL would implement the project. Two units of 500 MW each would start production by 2009-10.

The dedicated HVDC line would not only restrict transmission loss to less than one per cent, it would also limit the capital's dependance on the Northern Grid where it suffers when other states overdraw, he pointed out.

The Chhattisgarh Government, which would be assured 30 per cent of the power generated, had promised full cooperation in the setting up of the plant, Mr Yusuf said. The proposed plant site was close to a coal pit head, he said.

He said the Central Electricity Authority had estimated that the capital's power requirements would go up from the current 3900-4000 MW to 6000 MW by 2012.

Apart from the dedicated power plant in Chhattisgarh, Delhi was also sourcing electricity from other states, he added.

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