Power Coops To Be Launched In Gujarat

The state government is planning to have a power cooperative in each of the 50-odd industrial estates run by the Gujarat State Industrial Development Corporation (GSIDC). The units in these estates will be members of the cooperatives.

The size of the plant will depend on the total power requirements of the units in the estate. The state government will offer land for the power plant at a nominal price. It is planning to offer all the tax concessions to power cooperatives that are extended to other cooperatives.

The share capital of a member unit in the cooperative will depend upon its power requirement. The members will have power entitlement rights in tune with their requirement and share capital.

 

As the members themselves will consume the power generated, there will be no need for a power purchase agreement with the state electricity board (SEB). But the SEB will be willing to buy any surplus power that the cooperative may like to sell.

The size of the plants can vary between 60 mw and 120 mw, depending on the power requirement of the members, fuel availability and economic viability of the unit. The power plants will be allowed to avail of the common effluent-treatment facility being set up at 18 industrial locations.

The government says power cooperatives will ease pressure on the state and national power grids and the Gujarat State Electricity Board.

It also expresses the hope that the excess heat or steam available with some of the units in the industrial estates will be converted into electricity through these power cooperatives.

Officials say industrial estates located near lignite and gas-producing sites can easily set up power plants. Many new industrial parks are situated near gas-producing areas like the Tapti basin in south Gujarat. A few locations are close to lignite mines in Saurashtra and Kutch.

The state government produces 5,000 mw and buys 1,200 mw from central units. The current demand is about 8,700 mw. The shortfall, thus, is estimated at 2, 500 mw.

Power planners in the state say the shortfall will increase as the state is expecting an investment of Rs 184,000 crore in new units by the year 2000. The state will need 15,000 mw by then, but it will not be producing more than 10,000 mw even if all the new plants go on stream.