NTPC creates new cental region

National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) will bifurcate its Mumbai-based Western region to create a Central region with headquarters in Raipur.

The Chairman-cum-Managing Director of NTPC, Arup Roy Choudhury, gave his consent to set up the Central region in Raipur when he called on Chief Minister Raman Singh last night, a top state government official said.

The new regional headquarters of country's largest state-owned power producer would to set up in the Naya Raipur area, the proposed new capital of Chhattisgarh. The state government had agreed to provide land for setting up the regional office of NTPC.

Senior officials with the NTPC said that the proposal to divide the Western region was in the pipeline after the Eastern region had been bifurcated last year. Since the jurisdiction of Western region was very big, of which Chhattisgarh was a part, it was inevitable to bifurcate it for convenience, the official said.

The NTPC's major power projects coming up in Solapur and Modha of Maharashtra had been added to the division. The work load in Western region headquarters would increase following the two projects and it would not be easy to manage the affairs of Chhattisgarh from Mumbai, the company officials explained.

The 2,100-Mw Korba power project in Chhattisgarh, which produces power at the cheapest rate, would be adding 500 Mw capacity after the expansion work was completed by the year-end.

NTPC is coming up with a 2,960-Mw power project in Sipat of Bilaspur district. The two units of 500-Mw each have started production while three units of 660-Mw each are under construction.

The company is also developing a coal mine in Raigarh district besides a proposed 400-Mw power project near Lara in Raigarh district.