The 700-MW thermal plant, established in Ballari Thermal Power Station (BTPS) at Kuditini near Ballari, commenced its commercial power generation on Friday.
This is the third unit at BTPS where two 500-MW units have already been generating power to its installed capacity.
“BTPS is now equipped with three thermal units with a capacity to generate 1,700 MW of power. From now on, BTPS will generate around 40.8 million units a day which will help in easing the power shortage presently facing the State, especially due to dip in hydel-power generation due to insufficient rainfall this year,” B. Kumar Naik, Managing Director of KPCL, told presspersons.
He said that during the trial run, representatives of Central Power Research Institute (CPRI), Gulbarga Electric Supply Company (GESCOM) among others were present.
The work on the third unit was taken up in September, 2010. The total cost of the project was Rs. 4,686.2 crore with a capacity to generate 16.8 million tonnes per day.
Mr. Naik admitted that the project had gone behind schedule and a study was being conducted to know which of the agencies, involved in establishing the plant, was responsible and steps would be taken to invoke penalty clause and recover the amount.
With regard to coal requirement for third unit, he said that it would be met from the West Bengal coal mines.
However, the State government was contemplating approaching the Union Ministry of Coal to inform that getting coal from West Bengal was not only far but would also add to the production cost and would be making an appeal to consider allotment of coal to the third unit either at Singareni or in Nagpur.
As for as water requirement, the State Government had allocated 2.34 tmcft from Narayanpur dam and a detailed project report was being prepared to draw water.
“Till then we will manage with the existing facility of regenerated water from Maralihalla in Koppal district.” P. Bhaskar, technical director KPCL and Mrutyunjaya, Executive Director and other senior officials were present.
