Gujarat plans five plants totalling 5,350 Mw

The MoUs for five new projects totalling a capacity of 5,350 Mw are likely to be signed during the Vibrant Gujarat summit.

The state's present installed capacity is over 9,000 Mw against the unrestricted power demand of 11,500 Mw, a deficit of 2,500 Mw. According to the 16th Electric Power Survey (EPS) carried out by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), the demand is likely to grow to over 14,000 Mw by 2012.

The state would require an installed capacity of 18,700 Mw by 2012 to meet the growing power demand. The state government has planned to add 11,164 Mw by then.

Leading power companies, including Essar, Adani, Torrent, and government-owned companies like GUVNL, are already on way to create power infrastructure to generate additional 11,164 Mw. This would take the total installed capacity of the state to 20,000 Mw by 2012. However, according to the EPS survey, the state's peak demand would be 18,500 Mw by 2017.

The upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors' Summit would see MoUs being signed for several power projects, including 1,000-Mw coal-based power plant in Chhara Sarkhadi in Kodinar (Amreli), 1,000-Mw coal power plant in Simar in Junagadh, 1,000-Mw LNG/coal-based power plant in Vansi Borsi in Surat, 1,000-Mw coal/LNG-based plant in Dahej in Bharuch, 1000-Mw coal-based power plant in Veera/Sangat in Kandla in Kutch and a 350-Mw expansion of gas-based power station at Mora in Surat.

In addition to the state and the Centre's new projects, Bhavnagar has been selected as one of the potential site for setting up a 8,000-Mw coastal nuclear power plant. Gujarat is likely to get a substantial share from this plant, government sources say.

"Most of these new power projects are likely to come up in the coastal areas because of the easy availability of main inputs, coal as well as LNG," said a senior government official.