NTPC may revise Katwa power capacity to 1,980 MW

BHEL, L&T and others express interest in project to add a third line of 660 MW to existing 1,320 MW

The country's largest power producer, NTPC Ltd, today remained optimistic of the super critical 1,320 MW Katwa thermal plant in West Bengal.

NTPC chairman Arup Roychoudhury said here today that it was planning to add one more unit of 660 mw capacity to the existing project given the enthusiam seen from farmers to sell their land.

"Katwa thermal power plant of 1,320 MW (660 MWx2) is a reality as we already have 550 acres land already in our possession and is fenced. We may put one more additional unit of 660 mw, if we get the additional land we are looking," one the sidelines of The Bengal Chamber organised enviornment and energy conclave.

"On September 3, the tender for EPC contract for the project will be opened where 4-5 bidders like BHEL, L&T and others have expressed interest," he said.

NTPC was aiming for another 300 acres of land of which some 200 acres of land would be acquired directly from the farmers and rest 100 acres was expected to come from state government.

"Farmers are very keen to sell their land given the price we will offer," the NTPC chief said.

NTPC officials said farmers were keener to sell their land as the offer price which will be around Rs 16.5 lakh per acre against current ruling price of Rs 3 lakh per acre was extremely lucrative for them.

Roychoudhury said the state government will have give a

formal approval of the land price for acquisition and resolve some formalities in case of coal block linkage it had offered for the project.

"I had met the state power minister on this," he said.

NTPC said it was optamistic in generating power from Katwa thermal power plant in the next four years from first unit of 660 mw and another unit in the next six months.

Roychoudhury in his address said wthat with increase of one per cent in generation effieciency reduction in carbon emission by 2-3 per cent would be achieved and NTPC had achieved close to best as per global standards.

Meanwhile, a BCCI-organised two day enviornment and engery conclave was inaugurated by West Bengal power minister Manish Gupta attended among others by KPMG India CEO Richard Rekhy, Philips India VC and MD A Krishnakumar, TIL MD Sumit Mazumder and British deputy High Commissioner S Furssedonn-Wood.