Shahpur Kandi project to generate 168 MW power

Chandigarh, June 27 (UNI) The Shahpur Kandi dam which is proposed to be constructed over the Ravi river and downstream of the Ranjit Sagar hydel project in Gurdaspur district of Punjab will have a generation capacity of 168 MW.

The project envisages utilization of water of the river Ravi for power generation, in addition to irrigation requirements, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal told the Vidhan Sabha here today.

Replying to a query by Dr Dalbir Singh (Shiromani Akali Dal) during Question Hour, Mr Badal said that the dam is proposed to be located 11 km downstream of Ranjit Sagar Dam and 8 km upstream of Madhopur headworks.

The reservoir of the Shahpur Kandi Dam project is proposed to act as a balancing reservoir and will utilise the release from Ranjit Sagar Dam to fulfill the irrigation requirements of various commands through irrigation canals like Ravi canal, Kashmir Canal, and UBDC canal among others. On completion of this project, the power plants at Ranjit Sagar Dam will be able to meet the peaking power requirement, he added.

The total estimated cost of the project is Rs 2320 crore, including the Interest During Construction (IDC) of Rs 375 crore, he said. Of the total cost, the state government would provide Rs 245 crore for irrigation components, whereas the remaining amount would be contributed by Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB), he added.

Mr Badal told the House that the PSEB had applied for a loan of Rs 1987 crore from the Rural Electrification Corporation to fund the project, but it had not yet been approved. Though, PSEB had made a provision of Rs 348 crore in its annual budget for the year 2007-08, the state government had made a provision of Rs 98 crore in its budget for the the current fiscal year.

Mr Badal said that the project was likely to be completed within four years, after the requisite funds are provided. He told the House that the government was also planning to set up a number of mini hydel projects in the state.

UNI