1,320-MW thermal plant proposed at Mukerian
Umesh Dewan/TNS

Patiala, June 22
Led by the Chief Engineer, Thermal Civil Design, Central Electricity Authority (CEA), AK Jain, a team of officials of various government departments paid a visit to Mukerian yesterday. The purpose of the visit was to prepare a report pertaining to the site selection for the 1,320-MW thermal power plant proposed to be set up under the state sector. The CEA officers, along with officials of the National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC), Railways, Punjab Pollution Control Board, Central Water Commission, Irrigation and Forest and Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) visited some of the villages near the Hajipur town in Mukerian.

One of the Power Corporation officials said, “The land required for setting up the proposed plant is about 1,000 acres, which means land from various villages will have to be acquired for setting up the proposed plant.”

Speaking to The Tribune, PSPCL Director (Generation) GS Chhabra said, “The CEA team is expected to submit its report soon.” It is learnt that the CEA report would mainly cover the site selection, water linkage and rail connectivity besides some other aspects. It was a long-pending demand of the PSEB Engineers’ Association and the power sector experts that the Punjab Government should set up a thermal power plant under the state sector. In the first quarter of 2011, the state government had in-principle committed that 1,320-MW plant would be set up under the state sector at Mukerian. However, in June 2011, the state government referred the proposal to the Power Corporation, asking it to clarify certain queries pertaining to financial aspects of the project.

Subsequently, there was a communiqué between the government and the PSPCL, wherein it was brought to the notice of the state government that 90 per cent of the project cost would be borne by the Power Finance Corporation and the rest by the PSPCL. Thereafter, the PSEB Engineers’ Association again took up the matter with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Finally, during the annual general body meeting of the Association held in April this year, the CM had announced that the state government would soon initiate the process for the proposed plant.