Karnataka signs three PPAs for 1008 MWs

Karnataka government today signed three Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) for 1008 MWs, including a path-breaking "waste-to-energy" project.

The PPAs with NTPC, Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd (NLC) and Srinivasa Gayithri Resource Recovery Ltd were inked in the presence of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and Minister for Energy Shobha Karandlaje and senior officials.

NTPC is setting up a 4000 MWs regional mega coal-based thermal power plant at Pudimadakka in Andhra Pradesh's Vishakapatnam district in which Karnataka's share is 600 MWs.

Karnataka's share is 400 MWs in the 1,980 MWs coal-based thermal power project, to be set up by NLC at Sirkali in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu.

"The state is likely to get power from these units in about four years," Yeddyurappa said at the signing ceremony.

On the "waste-to-energy" power project at Manduru village in Bangalore East Taluk, he said this is the first and only plant (8 MW) -- being set up by Srinivasa Gayithri Resource Recovery -- in the entire country to be given subsidy by the Union Ministry of Renewable Energy.

"If this plant is successful, government would actively encourage setting up more such plants which would effectively handle and dispose municipal solid waste in an environment-friendly and sustainable manner," Yeddyurappa said.

Officials said the cost of the waste-to-power project is Rs 80 crore. Srinivasa Gayithri Resource Recovery has entered into an agreement with Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to implement the project under which the company would receive 1000 metric tonnes of municipal solid waste per day.

Yeddyurappa said in the past two years, the government has added 2,660 MWs of generation to the State grid.