The third unit of the 700 MW Bellary Thermal Power Station (BTPS) would be commissioned by January next year, Karnataka's Power Minister D K Shivakumar said today.
Speaking to reporters here, he said utilisation of the existing two units of 500 MW each was only about 65 per cent, which is to be scaled up to 80 to 90 per cent.
The Minister said coal is being supplied from West Bengal now for thermal power plants in the state and its costs were high due to transportation and other issues.
He said he would meet the Union Energy Minister in New Delhi tomorrow to request the Centre to increase power allocation from its grid to the state and also ensure coal supply from neighbouring states.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and I would meet the Prime Minister also on the issue of coal supply, he added.
