New thermal power plant in offing in Bihar

Patna, Oct 20: The Bihar State Electricity Board (BSEB) will set up a thermal power plant in collaboration with Kolkata-based Adhunik Power and Natural Resources Ltd(APNRL) in the near future.

BSEB sources said the board signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the company here on Sunday, Oct 19, adding the investment had been pegged at Rs 5,000 crore, in this regard.

The MoU was signed between BSEB secretary R P Srivastava and APNRL Chairman Nirmal Agarwal in the presences of state Energy Minister Ramashray Prasad Singh.

The APNRL had proposed to generate 1,000 MW of power through the thermal unit, sources informed.

The board had conducted preliminary surveys in Lakhisarai and Bhagalpur districts for finding land for the power plant and three sites had been selected, so far, according to sources.

Mr Agarwal hinted that the plant would come up at Lakhisarai, adding priority had been accroded to the site as it was found suitable.

Moreover, the BSEB inked MoUs with three separate private groups for setting up power plants at Banka, Begusarai and Pirpainti (in Bhagalpur).

Meanwhile, Mr Singh admitted that the National Thermal Power Corporation(NTPC), to whom the revival and modernisation of Kanti and Barauni thermal power plants were handed over by the previous RJD government, falied to achieve the target.

''Now Kolkata-based private firms are being given an opportunity to set up new power plants to cater to the requirements of Bihar,'' the Energy Minister informed.

Furthermore, sources at the BSEB maintained that the Adhunik Group would initiate the work for setting up the thermal unit and the group was also setting up a 1000-MW power plant in Jharkhand.

On behalf of the Bihar government, the state power secretary had assured all kind of logistic supports to the group for completing the project.

UNI