Power generation trials at Yermarus plant this month-end

Optimal use of water, coal key feature of plant near Raichur

The much-delayed trial power generation at the unit I of the Yermarus Thermal Power Station (YTPS) is likely to begin in the last week of January. YTPS is an 800MW joint-venture project between the Karnataka Power Corporation and the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited.

Work on the construction of the power plant began in 2010 and ended in March 2015. Power generation was also slated to begin the same month.

The delay in the grant of permission by the Union ministries of coal and environment, besides some issues locally, had resulted in the delay of construction work.

A few labourers had died at the construction site and protests over the construction of the compound wall for the plant had hit the pace of work. The agitating farmers said the wall was a hurdle in the path to reach their fields. They had demanded that the land between the airport and the YTPS be acquired for building the wall.

Farmers from Eganur said one person from each of the families losing land should get a job at the power station.

Also, the land acquisition delay held up the work on laying a new railway line for trains that would transport coal to the unit from the Yermarus station, six km away. Coal will be transported by road till that time. The coal stocked at the Raichur Thermal Power Station, around six lakh tonnes, will be shared with YTPS. Work on laying water pipelines from River Krishna had also been held up. The Yermarus plant has been sanctioned 1.56 tmc ft of water per year and the water pipeline work is nearing completion.

The power plant, with two units, has been set up at a cost of Rs 9,000 crore. Only the initial trials for unit I will be undertaken using light diesel oil and heavy fuel oil. This is because the fuel oils are costlier than coal. Coal fuel will be used after rectifying the flaws, if any, Lakshman Kabade, the YTPS executive engineer, told Deccan Herald.

Kabade said the YTPS was a state-of-the-art power plant that uses water and coal optimally and produces higher amount of electricity. This makes it an environmentally friendly project. He said the trials for the second unit would begin in a couple of months.

The authorities will go ahead with the trials this month even if the elected representatives cannot make it. The model code of conduct will prevent them from attending the inauguration of the trials, if the elections to the zilla and taluk panchayat are announced by that time.