DVC expects to commission Purulia power plant in March

"The initial date for commissioning of the first unit was November 2010, but due to non-availability of water we could not start the unit," Chief Engineer of Ragunathpur Thermal Power Station (RTPS) J K Singh told reporters.

However, he said recently the water connectivity work has begun for a 10-km pipeline from Panchet dam to the plant site.

The project has been delayed by 18 months due to problems in land acquisition.

The second unit of the fist phase is expected to be commissioned in the middle of 2013, Singh said.

The first phase of the thermal power project consists of two units of 600 MW each. The project is yet to acquire 400 acres of land for rail corridor and township from the state government out of the total 2,098 acres needed for the 2520MW thermal power project.

The entire project is due to be completed by 2017.

"Rural Electrification Corporation is likely to finance bulk of the Rs 6,300 crore loan for the second phase of the plant," DVC Chairman R N Sen said.

The financial closure of the Rs 9,089 crore project is expected soon. DVC aims to add 3520 MW in the 12th Plan period to become 10,729 MW company by 2017.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Power Jyotiraditya Scindia today laid the foundation stone of the 2nd phase of RTPS and first supercritical power plant of 2x660MW) in West Bengal.

West Bengal will get 200 MW power from the first phase and 400 MW from the second phase of the project.