NTPC ltd is expected to commission its first unit of 2x800 MW Super Thermal Power Plant (STPP) by May 2017 at lara in the district, officials informed.
There are two D/c type power evacuation lines from lara Switchyard and each line is capable of evacuating around 1000 MW. One line is going to Champa andthe other going to Kotra, they informed.
Tower erection, stringing of one line near to the plant is completed and for the other line, stringing is to be done, officials informed.
It may be recalled that NTPC is also expected to commence coal production from Talaipalli block in Raigarh district by November 2019, official sources informed.
The company had been granted bridge linkage for seeking coal supply from the Talaipalli block by the Union Coal Ministry.
The scheduled date of start of coal production from the coal block as per the Coal Mines Development and Production Agreement is financial year 2019-20.
Notably, the power to be generated by upcoming NTPC ltd’s 1600 MW Super Thermal Power Project (STPP) at lara in Raigarh district will be supplied to Chhattisgarh , Goa and Maharashtra states, officials stated. The project is most likely to go on stream by March 2017 , officials stated.
The coal requirement for the proposed plant would be met from Talaipalli Coal Block of Mand in Raigarh Coalfields, they stated.
It may be recalled that NTPC’s upcoming lara STPP in Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh has acquired all necessary clearances from the Union Ministry of Forest, Environment and Climate Change for the project, officials stated.
The lara plant of NTPC would be utilising super critical technology for power generation.
Notably, the Union Ministry of Coal has also assured Coal India ltd (CIl) for getting Mand-Raigarh railway line project expedited to facilitate growth in offtake of coal from mines under South Eastern Coalfields ltd (SECl) in Chhattisgarh.
This was against the target of 123.89 million tonnes (MT) - a growth of 11.1 per cent.
Notably, SECl is targetting total coal production of 250 million tonnes (MT) from its underground and open cast mines by 2019-20, officials stated.
SECl recorded coal production (provisional) of 12.10 million tonnes (MT) against target of 11.70 MT as on February 2016, Coal India ltd (CIl) informed the Bombay Stock Exchange in its filing.
Notably, the Coal India ltd (CIl) is targetting production of 1 billion tonnes of coal by 2020.
Wagon availability will be a key factor for achieving this target by Coal India ltd, officials stated.
By signing of the MoU, the Railways and Coal India ltd will be entering into a strategic partnership which would ensure adequate wagon availability for meeting the transportation needs of coal produced by Coal India ltd.
Notably, the Central government has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding each with the states of Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh for critical coal connectivity projects to improve transportation of coal, officials informed.
The Union Railway Budget 2016-17 had put Chhattisgarh on Centre’s high priority list among states for its ambitious dedicated freight corridor project implementation plans.
The Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu in his budget speech last year had put high emphasis on ensuring structuring, award and implementation of freight corridor projects in a time-bound manner through innovative financing mechanisms including Public Private Partnership (PPP).
The Union Railway Minister in his budget speech last year had also put emphasis on rapid expansion of freight business to build more dedicated freight corridors for increased traffic with consequent benefits for the economy and environment with Chhattisgarh being the direct gainer from the initiative due to high coal and iron ore movement through the Railway network from the State.
Prabhu had also stated that technological solutions for project management and monitoring will be taken up.
Meanwhile,the Power Grid Corporation of India ltd (PGCIl) has commenced the process of developing the 765kV Wardha-Dichpally-Maheshwaram transmission line in Telangana State for enabling receipt of 1000 MW power supply from Chhattisgarh.
Notably, the Chhattisgarh government has also decided to sell 1000 MW of power to the newly formed Telangana State in 2014.
Chief Minister Raman Singh and his counterpart from Telangana, K Chandrashekhar Rao had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the purpose in Raipur on November 3, 2014.
The officials of Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company limited (CSPDCl) had stated at that time that the decision to sell electricity to Telangana was taken in view of increasing power production capacity of Chhattisgarh and after fulfilling the power supply requirement of the State.
They further said that Telangana government will bear the transmission expenses in supplying the power to it. The CSPDCl will get trading margin money and this will add to the income of the company. This will thereby help in reducing the electricity rates in Chhattisgarh on the basis of competition, they had stated.
The officials said that the contract was signed after considering the power received from private power generating companies. They claimed that the State will not face any power shortage due to the deal signed with Telangana.
In the month of May last year, the Central government had also notified generation linked projects in Chhattisgarh and Odisha with a view to encouraging participation of Private sector in building the Transmission capacity in India, officials stated.
It had notified 14 power transmission schemes worth Rs . 33,900 crore during 2014-15 across the country.
These transmission schemes includes 765 kV and 400 kV transmission system strengthening schemes in the Northern, Western, Southern, North Eastern Regions and would facilitate transfer of Power from new Hydro electric projects in Bhutan and the generation linked projects in Chhattisgarh and Odisha etc.
By the end of 12th five year plan, the power generation installed capacity of Chhattisgarh is expected to reach 22,000 Megawatt, officials informed.
According to officials, the per capita power consumption in Chhattisgarh has jumped from 300 units to 1,724 units. In the view of increasing power supply demand, the Chhattisgarh State Power Generation Company ltd (CGPGCl) has made an investment of Rs . 22,000 crore, officials informed.
Officials further informed that the number of very high-pressure sub-centers and distribution systems have also increased in the State.
They further informed that for the first time gas based very high sub center has been developed in Raipur and in the same way very high sub-centers based on hybrid technology is being used.
For ensuring continuous power supply, double transmission-distribution system has been developed in some key areas of the State.