Will consider coal supply for Chhattisgarh: Jaiswal to Karnataka

Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa called on Jaiswal, along with the Energy Minister of the State Shoba Karandlaje and Members of Parliament from Karnataka here today, demanding sufficient supply of coal and more coal linkages for its five power plants.

"Your demands are justified....There are several problems. Still, we will try our best to consider the coal requirement for the Chhattisgarh plant in the next meeting," the Coal Minister said.

Jaiswal also said the Karnataka government's demand for coal for five power plants was not possible due to several constraints, however, he added: "We will try our best to sort out the problem."

The Karnataka government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Chhattisgarh government in 2008 to set up a 1,200 MW thermal power project to augment generating capacity at lower costs.

The pithead station -- two 600 MW units -- was proposed to be established in Godhna in Janjgir district and was expected to be completed by October, 2012.

Yeddyurappa had then said it is not economical to locate thermal power stations in Karnataka, which does not have coal or oil unlike Chhattisgarh and some other states. Transporting coal from these states to Karnataka is very costly.

"If we produce power near the pithead, the cost of power will come down by 30-40 per cent," he had said.