land acquisition is posing hurdles for the progress of thermal power producer NTPC’s 1,600-MW Darlipali Super Thermal Power Project in Sundargarh district, said NTPC Regional Executive Director MS Soin on Tuesday.
“NTPC has physical possession of 90.66 acres of private land in Raidihi village and 1,115.46 acres in Darlipali village. The balance 441.58 acres of land is essential before the project can take off,” said Soin at a Press conference here.
“We need to have the entire land in possession including Government land, remaining part of private land, diversion of about 35 acres of forestland and thereafter our work will start” he said.
Soin said ordering of main plant equipments like boiler and turbine generators is linked to the investment approval of the project which is dependent on availability of land.
Soni, who reaffirmed the NTPC’s commitment to set up a medical college in the region, said the college would come up along with the Darlipali project. “The investment for the college shall be approved along with the project,” he stated.
The official also expressed concern over the inadequate coal supply to the 3,000-MW Talcher Super Thermal Power Station. The unit has suffered a generation loss of 1,586 MU till February this year on account of coal shortage, he said, adding, “Only 87 per cent of the annual contracted quantity (ACQ) of domestic coal for the station could be ensured so far.”
The NTPC plans to invest Rs 12,850 crore for the Darlipali Super Thermal Power Project, from which the State Government would get half of the electricity generated.
At present the NTPC has two projects in Odisha, the Talcher Thermal (460 MW) and Talcher Kaniha (3,000 MW). It has plans to compete the Darlipali project within four years of land acquisition.