Power Projects associated with Commonwealth Games not yet ready

Vinod Kumar Gupta
Thursday, 05 August 2010
NEW DELHI: With 57 days left for the opening of prestigious Commonwealth Games, it is now certain that most of the power projects envisaged for games are not ready and would not be able to power the games.

Despite the tall claims made by DVC, NTPC and BHEL the two units of the Dadri thermal plant are the only ones, among the many envisaged to power the common wealth Games, which have achieved commissioning, so far.

The Power projects identified for the Common Wealth Games are 500 MW first unit of Indira Gandhi super thermal power project Jhajjar, Damodar Valley Corporation`s (DVC) 1,000 MW Mejia thermal power project , 1,000 MW coal-fired thermal power projects at Koderma and Durgapur , and of Pragati Power Corporation Limited`s 1,500 MW gas-based power project at Bawana.

According to sources even when the two units of Dadri thermal are ready the evacuation problem of power still persists as Delhi Transco has failed to install the crucial substation at Loni in tandom with power grid. Delhi Transco and Delhi government are still optimistic about the on-time completion of the substation in time before the start of games.

Despite the best efforts being made by BHEL and NTPC, the 500 MW first unit of Indira Gandhi super thermal power project Jhajjar may not be able to supply power for the games. Even the unit has not yet been synchronized on oil but to talk about full load on coal firing.

The Mundka substation associated with the evacuation of power has not been completed by Delhi Transco.

Despite BHEL promises all its efforts to commission DVC’s 1,000 MW Mejia thermal power project, 1,000 MW coal-fired thermal power projects at Koderma and Durgapur before the opening of Common Wealth Games is certainly a day dream.

According to sources uncertainty also looms large over the timely commissioning of Pragati Power Corporation 1,500 MW gas-based power project at Bawana.