JOIN USNTPC's Kudgi project will be commissioned by Jan 2016
NTPC Ltd , the largest power generator in the country, on Tuesday announced the commissioning of the Kudgi Super Thermal Power Project (KSTPP) in Bijapur district by January 2016 .
NTPC Southern Regional Executive Director R Venkateswaran said the first stage of the KSTPP will have a capacity of 2400 MWs with three units.
“It is the first project of NTPC in Karnataka. KSTPP’s first unit with 800 MW will start operations from May 2016. Subsequent units are scheduled to be commissioned with an interval of six months. The second stage of the project will have a total capacity of 1600 MW with 800 MW each,” Venkateswaran said.
The first stage of the project has been envisaged at total investments of Rs 15,166 crore. As of September 2014, an approximate total expenditure of Rs 5,900 crore has been incurred on the project, he said. “NTPC has placed orders with Doosan, Toshiba, GE, Siemens, Yokogawa and Indian PSUs like BHEL for the project. Private sector companies like L&T, IVRCL and Simplex are also associated with the KSTPP.”
NTPC Ltd had signed a MoU with the Karnataka government and Power Corporation of Karnataka Ltd in January 2009 for setting up the coal-based power plant at Kudgi.
“For the project, a total extent of 3,173 acres has been requisitioned through the KIADB. So far, 2,938 acres of land has been acquired and Rs 249.63 crore deposited with the KIADB by the NTPC towards compensation,” he said.
Downplaying environmental concerns on the project, Venkateswaran said the plant is designed with electrostatic precipitators which have 99.7 per cent efficiency in capturing fly ash generated from coal combustion.
“Since the plant is a zero effluent facility, the water used there will be recycled and reused at the plant itself. The facility is being designed with super-critical units which will have an efficiency level of around 4-5 per cent, more than conventional sub-critical technology and helps in reducing greenhouse gas emission,” he said.
According to Venka-teswaran, 50 per cent of the power generated (1200 MW from the first stage), will be given to Karnataka.On the cost of power, he said with the rise in cost of coal in the domestic market the final cost for the state electricity supply companies is likely to go up marginally.
“It would be in the range of Rs 5 per unit as against the price worked out earlier in the power purchase agreement, which stood at Rs 4.50 per unit. We are yet to work out the final power purchase cost. It depends on the coal price at the time of supply of power to the state government," he said.
Wind energy foray
NTPC plans to foray into wind energy sector with its first project in Karnataka. The company will soon float tenders for first such project with a capacity of 100 MW, a top company official said on Tuesday.
“As part of this initiative, we have identified a couple of locations at Guledagudda in Bagalkot district. The project cost is estimated at Rs 650 crore. We are awaiting clearance from the state forest department for this project as the location falls within the reserve forest area,” Venkateswaran said.