Private land compensation for UMPP by Dec end

The Odisha Integrated Power Ltd (OIPL), a fully owned subsidiary of Power Finance Corporation (PFC), expects to complete disbursement of compensation for private land acquired for the first ultra mega power project (UMMPP) in Odisha by the end of this month.

The maiden UMPP in the state is coming up at Bhedabahal in Sundargarh district. OIPL is the special purpose vehicle (SPV) formed for implementing this UMPP.

The award under Section 11 (of Land Acquisition Act) for private land measuring 2733.54 acres was issued by the Sundargarh collector from 8th to 10th August, this year in all affected villages- Kandabahal, Kirei, Rupidihi, Kopsingha, Lankahuda and Bhedabahal.

OIPL had deposited the land compensation amounting to Rs 634.92 crore with the Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco) on June 21 this year. Idco, in turn, deposited the same with the Sundargarh district administration in August 2013.

Till December 19, compensation of Rs 125 crore has been disbursed.

The district administration, meanwhile, is processing 36 cases of alienation of non-forest government land measuring 512.43 acres. The UMPP needs 3100 acres of land in all. Odisha would get 1300 MW as its share from this project.

A steering committee of the state government chaired by the chief secretary J K Mohapatra on Thursday took stock of the progress of this UMPP. The panel also reviewed the status of 1600 Mw super thermal power project proposed by NTPC at Darlipalli (Sundargarh district) and 1320 Mw expansion plan of Odisha Power Generation Corporation (OPGC)."Land acquisition for NTPC's Darlipalli project is 95 per cent complete. Nearly 80 per cent of land has been acquired for the Dulanga coal mine allocated to NTPC for the power project”, said state energy secretary P K Jena.

NTPC's Darlipalli project is scheduled for commissioning by 2018. The project will draw water from the Hirakud reservoir in the Mahanadi river. Odisha will get 50 per cent power from this super thermal plant.

Jena said OPGC's expansion plan is on track. The BTG (boiler turbine generator) package has been awarded to Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (Bhel) and the BoP (balance of plant) contract to BGR Energy Systems, he said.

The expansion plan of OPGC involved addition of two supercritical units, each of 660 Mw, being taken up at a cost of Rs 11,547 crore which also includes cost of other components like coal block development and dedicated rail corridor. The two units were to be added at OPGC's existing 420 Mw capacity thermal power station at Banharpalli near Jharsuguda.