The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : ‘No hike in power tariff’

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Tuesday, Sep 16, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

‘No hike in power tariff’

Special Correspondent

ESCOMs to supply power without interruption

Centre favours setting up ultra-mega thermal power project at Mannur in Bijapur district
About 4,000 acres of land is available at Mannur for the project

BANGALORE: The State Government has decided not to hike power tariff in the near future. Addressing presspersons here on Monday, Minister for Energy K.S. Eshwarappa said there was no proposal before the Government to hike electricity charges at present. All five electricity supply companies (ESCOMs) have been instructed to supply power to farmers, domestic consumers and industries without any interruption, he said.

Asked about ESCOMs demand for a power hike, he said the Government had not received any proposal from ESCOMs seeking increase in power tariff.

‘File petitions’

For revision of power tariff, ESCOMs will have to file petitions before the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC), he said. The practice is for ESCOMs to file petitions on revision of power tariff before KERC after the Government’s approval. The KERC takes the decision on whether to grant revision in the power tariff after eliciting views of consumers and experts through a public hearing.

Mega power project

Mr. Eshwarappa said the Centre had given a favourable report to establish a 4,000 MW ultra-mega thermal power project at Mannur in Basavana Bagewadi taluk in Bijapur district. A technical team of the Ministry of Power had visited Bijapur on August 25 and 26 to assess whether the location was suitable. Mannur is 320 km from Goa, the nearest port. The power plant requires thousands of tonnes of coal a day, which would have to be brought by ship. The Railways would transport coal from Goa to Bijapur, he said.

About 4,000 acres of land was available at Mannur for the proposed power project, he said. Four tmcft of water would be made available to the plant from Almatti dam. The Central team has favoured the setting up the project in Bijapur district, he said.

The Government, he said, was undecided on the power projects at Chamalapur in Mysore district and Tadari village, in Uttara Kannada district. A final decision would be taken after consultation with local leaders, environmentalists, seers of Krishna Math, Udupi, and Ramachandrapura Math, Shimoga, he said.

No power cuts

Mr. Eshwarappa ruled out imposition of power cuts in the State. Six out of seven units of the Raichur Thermal Power Station and a 500 MW unit of Bellary Thermal Power Station have been generating power.

With sufficient inflow in hydel reservoirs and coal stocks in thermal plants, the Government had not purchased power from Chhattisgarh government, Jindal or Tatas so far, he said.

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