Durgaduani power plant construction work to start from Jan,2007

Kolkata, Nov 10 (UNI) West Bengal government will start construction of the Durgaduani power plant in Sundarbans, India's first tidal project, in January.

Talking to UNI today, West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency (WBREDA) Director S P Gon Choudhury said WBREDA, on behalf of the state government, is currently negotiating with National Hydel Power Corporation (NHPC) to appoint the company for construction of the power plant.

''After a basic survey and other engineering design, the construction works will start in January, 2007,'' he said.

The proposed plant would generate four MW of power to provide electricity to nearly 15,000 homes.

There were apprehensions from various quarters, especially the Conservionists, that this project might wipe out the whole tiger habitat and harm the fragile ecology of Sunderbans.

Mr Choudhary, however, said they have already received the environment clearances necessary to start the project.

''The project has already received all required approvals from the Union Ministry. It will not pose any danger to the tigers or the environment,'' he iterated.

Mr Gon Chowdhury said water from tidal rivers would be allowed to rise in one of the many creeks and then released through a turbine.

WBREDA, under the state power department, has planned to construct two sluice gates at either end of the Durgaduani creek, which connects two rivers.

WBREDA was established in 1993 with the objective of promoting renewable energy technologies. The technologies being used include solar thermal, solar photovoltaic cells (for heating systems and for home lighting), wind turbines (for wind farms), biogas plants (using animal waste), biomass plants (using woody mass from plantations) rice husk plants and wind-diesel hybrid plant echnology.

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