BHUBANESWAR: The Centre is trying hard to get chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s nod for National Thermal Power Corporation’s (NTPC)’s Rs 9785 crore power plant project at Talcher so that Prime Minister
Narendra Modi lays its foundation stone when he visits the place on September 22 to kickstart the revival of the Talcher Fertiliser Plant.
The NTPC plans to expand the
Talcher Thermal Power Station (TTPS) and add two new plants (stage III) with a combined capacity of 1320 megawatt (the state’s current average need is around 3500 mw). The Rs 1000 crore project's proposal needs clearance from the chief minister-led High-Level Clearance Authority.
Union power minister RK Singh wrote a letter to CM Naveen on Friday which follows, “I request your personal intervention for grant of approval by high-level committee at the earliest, the power from the project would complement the household electrification drive underway in Odisha as part of Saubhagya scheme (central project to provide electricity to all households). I consider this is an opportunity which should not be missed… Prime Minister is expected to visit Talcher on September 22. May I suggest that we utilise this opportunity for laying the foundation stone on that day in your august presence.”
This seems to be in response to Odisha energy minister Susanta Singh’s letter to the Union power minister on Wednesday, expressing the state’s reservations against the high power tariff of the proposed plant, among other issues. Susanta pointed out that the power tariff of the proposed plant was pegged at Rs 3.40 per unit, higher than the Rs 2.68 per unit indicated earlier.
The energy minister had also requested the use of transmission network of the state for evacuation of power from Talcher to avoid transmission charges to Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL). He also requested the Centre to allow the state to draw power from the NTPC plants in Odisha (Talcher and Kaniha) instead of the power plants it has been allocated, Barh I and Barh II in Bihar, in an effort to reduce transmission cost.
Union
petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who first wrote to CM Naveen on Tuesday seeking his intervention in getting the project cleared, said the expansion is necessary for the TTPS to stay relevant after 2021 because the existing plants (of 460 megawatt) will become outdated and would have to be phased out. “The TTPS project in Talcher was launched in 1964 by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. It will be unfortunate if the plant closes down,” Dharmendra said on Sunday.
Susanta could not be contacted for his comment but a senior government official said the project is under active consideration of the state government.
BJD spokesperson Samir Ranjan Dash said the Centre should reconsider lowering the cost as raised by the energy minister in his letter. “Instead of politicising the issue, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan should impress upon the Centre to reduce the cost in the state’s interest,” Samir said.
