K.C. Venugopal, MP, has urged the Chief Minister and Electricity Minister to arrange an agreement for the purchase of solar power offered by NTPC Kayamkulam. The public sector unit has commissioned a 100-kWp floating solar plant and has offered to generate 175 MW of solar power.
With abundant water bodies on the premises of the existing thermal plant, NTPC is ready to generate additional power for Kerala’s consumption. The proposal has been submitted to Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), according to Kunal Gupta, general manager, NTPC, Kayamkulam. The company has also promised to make solar power available at competitive rates.
Kerala has a prevailing agreement with NTPC for generating power, but the State has been giving orders for power generation only for a few days annually on account of higher rates applicable owing to increased production cost. The thermal plant has been set up exclusively to meet the power needs of Kerala.
Mr. Venugopal said it was necessary for the State, which was deficient in power, to initiate a long-term agreement for purchase of power generated through environment-friendly methods. The State should have approached NTPC for such a project. Now that NTPC has approached the State with the proposal, there should be no delay in executing an agreement, he said.
The State was discussing certain proposals on power generation which were hostile to environment. It should be noted that the cost on the infrastructure for solar power generation was being borne by NTPC. He said the matter would be discussed with the concerned at the Union Ministry of Power.
