State to buy 2,000 Mw power on long-term basis

Power-starved Karnataka plans to buy 2,000 Mw of power on a long-term basis to mitigate power crisis in the state. The state government has finalised tenders on a competitive bidding and award the contract shortly.

B S Yeddyurappa, the chief minister of Karnataka today said the government plans to increase the generation capacity by adding 2,520 Mw power to the state grid in 2010-11 and 1,000 Mw during 2011-12 and 1,900 Mw during 2012-13 to overcome the shortage of power in the state. Presently, the state-owned Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) has an installed capacity to generate 6,000 Mw power annually.

In addition to this, the government has also taken steps to set up a 4,000 Mw thermal power plant jointly with National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) at Kudgi in Bijapur district. The preliminary works are in progress, he said.

Replying to a starred question in the state legislative assembly on Tuesday, Yeddyurappa, who also holds the power portfolio, said the state high level clearance committee has recently approved 81 investment projects for generation of 23,000 Mw power in the state.

The state-owned Power Corporation of Karnataka Limited (PCKL) would be setting up 1,320 Mw capacity electricity generation units at Ghataprabha in Belgaum and Gulbarga districts and 5 Mw capacity projects in various taluks. Bids have already been invited for this, he said.

The KPCL has proposed to set up new units to augment its capacity in the state. On June 18, 2010, the Raichur Thermal Power Station synchronised its 8th unit of 210 Mw to the grid. It is also expected to commission the second unit of 500 Mw of Bellary Thermal Power Station by March 2011, he said.

KPCL is also upgrading its 5th and 6th units at Nagzari Power Station to 150 Mw from 135 Mw and will be commissioned in March 2011. The Udupi Power Corporation Ltd has started production of 600 Mw from Unit-1 and the second unit of 600 Mw is likely to go on stream later this year. The state is also getting 70 Mw from Jurala Power project.

The state also plans to augment solar power capacity by 170 Mw during this year, taken steps to generate solar electricity in the state. It has already set up two solar power plants of 3 Mw each in Kolar and Belgaum districts at an investment of Rs 118 crore. The third unit of 3 Mw will be commissioned shortly in Raichur district at an investment of Rs 42 crore. In addition to this, the KPCL has planned to set up solar power stations in Shimoga, Haveri, Bagalkote and Mandya districts. These plants together will add another 170 Mw of power.

The state government has initiated steps to encourage the private sector to set up solar power plants under the guidelines of Union ministry of new and renewable energy. During the year 2010-11, the state is looking at generating 906 Mw of power from the non-conventional energy sources, Yeddyurappa added.