The Energy Department has decided to allow private firms to set up a mini-thermal power plant near Bangalore to ensure a dedicated power station for the fast growing city.
Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar disclosed this on Tuesday during his reply to the debate in the Legislative Assembly on the Energy Department’s demand for grants.
He said expression of interest (EOI) had been invited for setting up a thermal power plant with a capacity of 250 MW within a radius of 150 km from Bangalore. The main condition for the EOI was that the firms or persons interested in setting up the plant should have about 100 acres of land within a radius of 150 km from the city.
Backup station
The Minister said most of the prominent cities in the country, barring Bangalore, had such backup power stations.
A private thermal plant was now being considered as a dedicated power station for the city because the efforts to set up a gas-based power station at Bidadi as a backup station were embroiled in legal tussle among bidders, Mr. Shivakumar said. The Minister said the government was considering allowing Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) to take up the second phase of the Bidadi project. He reiterated that efforts were on to turn the diesel power plant in Yelahanka into a gas-based station by using the gas to be supplied by Gas Authority of India Ltd. But this may become a costly exercise as power generated in the gas-based station was expected to cost around Rs. 9 to Rs. 13 a unit, he said.
Solar city He reiterated the government’s commitment to turning Bangalore into a solar city by promoting grid-connected rooftop solar units.
Expressing concern that it had become difficult for the power utility to get private land for setting up power transmission towers , especially in Bangalore, the Minister said he would formulate a policy in which attractive price would be offered for those giving their land for the purpose.
Referring to increasing demand for power, he said power consumption was estimated to touch an average of 210 million units a day in 2015 against the average of nearly 170 MUs a day in 2014.
