First 500MW unit of BTPS to be operational by Sept

Bangalore, July 26 (UNI) The first unit of the Rs 2,169 crore 500MW Bellary Thermal Power Station (BTPS) would be commissioned by September this year, Transport Minister Chaluvaraya Swamy told the Karnataka Legislative Council today.

Replying to BJP member Shashil G Namoshi, he said the state government had not spent any money in the project, being built on a turnkey basis.

He said the project was being taken up by raising capital from financial institutions.

The Karnataka Power Corporation (KPC), which had spent over Rs 2,095 crore for the BTPS so far was planning to start the second unit of 500 mw capacity. The project report had already been prepared for the same, the minister informed the House.

The other power projects in the pipeline, included Raichur Thermal Power Station (RTPS) unit 8 (250 mw) and Varahi hydel project (230 mw).

The state government was also awaiting clearance from the Central Power Authority to set up the 400 mw Gundia hydel project.

Other projects, being considered by the KPC were Kalagurki (Bijapur) Annechakanahalli (Hassan) Yadagiri (Gulbarga).

The state government had floated tenders for setting up 1000 mw capacity units in private sector at Ghataprabha, Jewargi and Chamalapura.

By 2010, the state would generate over 13,000 mw of power from all its sources, including hydel, thermal and wind energy, he added.

UNI