Environmental impact assessment study for the 2x800 mw expansion project of NTPC Ltd. in Ramagundam, Telangana, is over and the company expects the public hearing to be conducted next month.
One of the major capacity additions conceived by the power major in southern region, the first phase is part of 4,000 mw to be added in Ramagundam. Forty per cent or 2,600 mw of NTPC’s installed capacity in the region is in Ramagundam.
Regional Executive Director (South) R. Venkateswaran said the State government was likely to announce the public hearing date soon. Stating that the government was also in the process of identifying land sought by NTPC for an ash pond, he said it took 48 to 52 months, from the zero date, to establish an 800 mw plant.
The first phase would come up on land near its existing, operational facilities in Ramagundam, the remaining three 800 mw units may come up in Nalgonda. “They [State government] are talking about Nalgonda,” he said, without elaborating.
To a query, he said the benefits of having additional units close by include use of many common facilities. The existing township and people would come in handy as compared to a new location where “we have to put up everything new”. He estimated the additional land needed to be around 1,500-1,600 acres.
Pudimadaka project
Other components of the 9,000 mw capacity additions proposed by NTPC include the 4,000 mw Pudimadaka project near Visakhapatnam for which the Andhra Pradesh government has allotted land. The EIA is likely to be completed by June, he said.
Mr. Venkateswaran, addressing presspersons here on Friday, would also set up a 1,000 mw solar power project in Anantapur. A power purchase agreement (PPA) for the first phase of 250 mw is to be inked shortly with the Andhra Pradesh government, he said.
More power for
host State
On the power sharing formula from the Ramagundam expansion and Pudimadaka projects, he said a decision is to be taken by the Union Power Ministry. NTPC as well as the respective State governments favour 85 per cent of the power to be allotted to the host State.
