NTPC to execute 2640 MW Gidderwaha thermal power plant in Punjab

Vinod Kumar Gupta
Friday, 08 October 2010
CHANDIGARH: Punjab Government has signed a memorandum of understanding with NTPC to execute 2640 MW Gidderbaha Thermal Power Plant at a cost of Rs. 15000 crore.
This is the first power plant in Punjab with funding by Government of India. Punjab has agreed to facilitate acquisition of land, allocation of water and conveyed in-principle clearance for about 2,316 acre of land and 125 cusec of water. The plant consist of 4 units of 660 mw each which will be funded by NTPC.

NTPC officials who visited Chandigarh signed the memorandum with Punjab Government and Powercom officials. Punjab share from the project will be 52 percent NTPC will be supplying balance power to any other state as per Government of India‘s guidelines. NTPC will be funding the project. Punjab Government may be asked to partly fund the project.

Meanwhile PSEB Engineers’ Association has criticized the handing over of 2640MW Gidderbaha thermal plant to NTPC for which MOU was signed today. The state of Punjab has direct control on only 3620 MW which is 52% of total present generation capacity of 6900 MW. Punjab Government has already awarded 6510 MW thermal plants to private companies and another 2000 MW shall be added in coming years as Punjab’s Share in Central Sector Projects. Award of 2640 MW Gidderbaha Thermal Project to NTPC shall reduce the state sector share to a meager 19% of the total generation capacity.

HS Bedi President of Association said that for optimum grid operation and to achieve economic load dispatch leading to least cost power from the grid, it is necessary to retain adequate share of state sector generation. The private or central sector generators would have the tendency to operate their plants irrespective of the requirements of the State to earn profits at the cost of consumers.