NTPC requests MoP not to allot power from Lara TPP to Punjab

May 27: State-run power major, NTPC, has asked the Ministry of Power to not allocate any power from its, presently under-execution, 4000 MW Lara integrated thermal power project (TPP), located in the Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh, to the state of Punjab. According to the utility, the state already receives around 1136 MW of power from operational stations of NTPC, including the Singrauli, Rihand I & II and Farakka projects. In addition, the state has been allocated another 353 MW from the projects that are expected to be commissioned during the XIth plan. As per directives issued by the Union Government, Punjab will also be allotted a sizable share of power from future projects of NTPC, such as the Tanda expansion and Meja projects in Uttar Pradesh. Hence, in a recent missive to the Ministry of Power (MoP), NTPC has contended that the target to dispense 1500 MW of power to Punjab from NTPC stations is adequately achieved, even without considering the power to be generated from the Lara TPP. In addition, the ministry already has unallocated power at its disposal, and can divert the same to the state, if it wishes to.
In the meantime, the power major has already initiated the site investigations required to develop the project, which will consist of five units of 800 MW each. Unfortunately, the Chhattisgarh government has not yet accorded its "in-principle" clearance for the 3500 acres of land and 200 cusecs of water needed for the project. Notably, the utility had made the applicable request to the state government way back in June 2005 and has reiterated its appeal on several occasions.