Mumbai, Apr 4 (IANS): Reliance Power Thursday said it has commissioned the first 660 MW unit of the Sasan ultra mega power project (UMPP) in Madhya Pradesh.

The company informed the Bombay Stock Exchange in a filing that it has started commercial operations at its 3,960 MW Sasan UMPP March 30.

"The sucessful commissioning of the first unit in record time is a clear demonstration of the execution capabilities of Reliance - the ability to build large coal mine projects ahead of schedule," said J.P. Chalasani, CEO Reliance Power.

Sasan UMPP is the world's largest integrated integrated power palnt and coal mining project. The pithead-based plant is Reliance Power's first UMPP, with an estimated investment of over Rs.200 billion.

Electricity from the plant will be sold to 14 distribution companies in seven states, benefiting an estimated 350 million people, the company said.

The plant has also been connected to the national power transmission grid.

Coal production has already commenced from the Moher and Moher-Amlohri coal mines, while the Chhatrasal coal block is under development after getting forest clearance.

The company is executing two more UMPPs at Krishnapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and Tilaiya in Jharkhand.