Reliance Power buoyant over UMPPs

India needs to commission more Ultra Mega Power Projects (UMPPs) to meet its growing energy needs, Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) company Reliance Power CEO J P Chalsani has said.

“We need large power projects to keep pace with development and UMPPs will continue to play significant role in meeting growing energy demand,” he said replying to a query that whether the recent land acquisition issues in India would pose greater challenges for the UMPPs in the days to come. Chalsani was interacting with the media after inaugurating a 300-Mw unit of the 1,200-Mw Rosa Power Project in the Shahjahanpur district of Uttar Pradesh on Monday.

“We need to add 30,000 Mw capacity every year considering the growing demand, and UMPPs are the solution,” he noted.

He maintained Reliance Power had so far faced no difficulties in land acquisition process for its projects in the country.

On the need for more environment-friendly technology in power sector, Chalsani said his company welcomed more green fuel-based power projects like nuclear energy. The company utilises the fly ash generated at its thermal power projects in cement plants run by a Group company.

Reliance Power has undertaken projects in UP, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and is looking at a combined generation capacity of almost 33,000 Mw.

“By the end of March 2012, we will have a power generation capacity of 3,120 Mw comprising 1,200 Mw Rosa Power Project, 600 Mw Butibori project in Nagpur and 1,320 Mw under Sasan UMPP in Madhya Pradesh,” he added.

The coal-based Rs 6,000 crore Rosa Power Project comprises two stages of 600 Mw each. While, the first phase would reach optimum generation in the next few weeks, the second phase is expected to go full steam by March 2012.