Karnataka Ties up for 1,000 MW Power from NTPC, Neyveli 

IANS

Bangalore, Jan 5: Energy deficit Karnataka Tuesday signed three power purchase agreements (PPAs) with state-run National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and Tamil Nadu-based Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) for 1,000 MW to meet its growing demand for power.

The state-run Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd (KPCL) also tied up with Srinivasa Gayithri Resource Recovery Ltd, a city-based renewable energy developer, to use 8 MW generated from an integrated waste-to-energy power plant in Bangalore in association with the civic agency Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) under public-private partnership.

NTPC will supply 600 MW to Karnataka as its share from the 4,000 MW (5x800 MW) regional mega coal-based thermal plant in Visakhapatnam district in coastal Andhra Pradesh.

Similarly, NLC will supply 400 MW to the state from its upcoming 1,980 MW(3x660 MW) coal-based thermal power project at Sirkali in Nagapattinam district

"We have taken up a huge capacity expansion programme to reduce energy deficit in the state, as growing demand is outstripping supply," state Minister for Power Shobha Karandlaje said on the occasion in the presence of Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa.

KPCL has planned 9,000 MW of new projects, which are likely to be commissioned by 2014-15 at an investment of Rs.35,000 crore.

In addition, the state government is purchasing about 1,000 MW per month through bid route on short, medium and long-term basis to reduce power cuts and ensure quality power to industrial, commercial, housing and agricultural segments across the state.

"We have added 2,660 MW of power generation capacity during the past two years, with KPCL contributing 980 MW and the remaining 1,080 MW from cogeneration and windmills," Yeddyurappa said.

The state witnessed the highest peak demand of 7,634 MW in December, with 155.85 million units on Dec 30, a record till date.

Touted to be the first of its kind, the waste-to-energy project is being set up at Manduru village on the outskirts of the city, at a cost of Rs.80 crore, with Rs.5-crore subsidy from the central ministry of renewable energy.

BBMP will supply about 1,000 tonnes of solid waste per day generated from a city of seven million denizens.

The company is constructing landfill cells for scientific disposal of the inerts after processing the solid waste. It will also produce organic manure (compost) as a by-product of the power plant.