The Central Electricity Authority has confirmed supply of one lakh tonnes of coal for the trial run of the first unit of Rajpura thermal power plant, slated to be made operational during January, 2014.
A spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that the authority has asked Coal India (CIL) to supply the quantity of coal to Rajpura thermal power plant (TPP) in order to carry out synchronisation activities and trial run.
Engineering giant Larsen & Toubro is implementing the Rajpura project.
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Some time back a similar confirmation of readiness had been made by CEA for the trial run of the first unit (660 MW) of the Sterlite group’s power plant near Talwandi Sabo, to be made operational in September 2013.
On the personal intervention of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, the Union Power Miinistry issued a notification asking Coal India to sign fuel supply agreements to include the 660 MW Unit-1 of Talwandi Sabo TPP and 700 MW Unit-1 of Rajpura TPP for 2013-14, besides Talwandi Sabo TPP Unit 2 and 3, and Rajpura TPP Unit 2 for 2014-15, the spokesperson said.
Earlier, the Ministry of Power had pushed fuel linkage and signing of FSA for Talwandi Sabo Unit 2&3 and Rajpura unit 2 to 2015-16.
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This decision assumes significance especially in the wake of ever increasing demand of power in the state.
With the assured supply of coal to the upcoming thermal plants in Punjab, the state government was zeroing in to achieve its ultimate goal of generating additional power of 3,920 MW, the spokesperson added.