JPL awaits govt nod on new site for 1320-Mw plant

The Naveen Jindal owned Jindal Power Limited (JPL) has decided to change the site of its proposed 1320 MW power plant in Angul district to avoid use of irrigated land for the project.

JPL, the second largest power producer in private sector in India, is a subsidiary of Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL), which is setting up a mega steel plant in the same district.

The company, meanwhile, has approached the state energy department to allow relocation of the project to Badakerejang village, near JSPL’s upcoming steel plant at Nisha, from the originally selected site at Boinda.

According to sources, JPL authorities took the decision to shift the site after learning that a substantial chunk of the earmarked land at Boinda came under the command area of an upcoming irrigation project.

JPL had signed an MoU with the state government in 2009 for setting up of a 1320 MW power plant at Boinda under Athmallick subdivision.

Now the company needs about 2000 acres land at the new location for the power plant. Out of this, it has already acquired 1000 acres comprising both private and government land.

As soon as the permission for relocation is granted by the state government, we will immediately begin the construction work at the new site, said Rajesh Jha, Executive Director, JSPL. The company aims to generate power from the project from 2013, he added.

On the relocation of the project, he said, “though we initially planned to set up our plant at Boinda, we later decided to change the site when we learnt that an irrigation project was coming up in the area. We wanted to avoid use of irrigated land for the project as it is our policy not to set up any plant on fertile land”.