'Govt to produce 5,000 Mw additional power under 5-yr plan'

Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde today said that besides a goal of thermal energy generation capacity of 78,000 Mw, an additional 5,000 Mw will be produced during the current Five-Year plan (2007-12).

"All efforts being made to achieve the target and the public sector undertaking BHEL have been asked to increase its capacity from 5,000 unit to 7,000 and ultimately to 10,000 units to meet demand of the industries," Shinde said at an 'Energy Summit'.

This thermal energy will be in addition to 14,000 Mw from non-conventional energy sources. The BHEL has entered into an agreement with private sector companies like L&T, Bharat Forge and others to enhance its production capacity, he said.

He said his ministry has already placed orders for plants for 30,000 Mw.

Shinde pointed out Rs 400 crore were wasted as the Hydro Power plant on river Ganga was had to be stopped.