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Bangalore, May 31: Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd (KPCL) has written a letter to the coal ministry to allocate another four to five coal blocks for producing power.
In 2002-03, KPCL had purchased four coal blocks situated in Maharashtra. With the additional coal, KPCL plans to start eighth unit of Raichur thermal power plant. Currently, six units of Raichur thermal power unit are producing power for Karnataka.
Meanwhile, faced with a stiff power shortage the Maharashtra government is said to have requested the Union government to allocate coal blocks located in Maharashtra, which is being used by KPCL for power generation.
Speaking to FE, V Nagarajan, managing director, KPCL said that they have not received any intimation either from Maharashtra or the Union government on this issue. “We have got the coal blocks after a proper procedure. We are not in a position to return these blocks to Maharashtra,” he said.
Currently, Karnataka is using four coal blocks situated in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra. For one of the unit of Bellary thermal power plant, KPCL is using around 2.5 million tonne of coal.
In 2002-03, KPCL had paid over Rs 10 crore to purchase the four coal blocks. KPCL has a joint venture with West Bengal-based Eastern Mineral Company for mining coal in that area. According to the sources, mining is expected to start in next two-three months.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government has written a letter to KPCL, requesting to produce power in the seventh unit of Raichur thermal power plant for them.
The state (Maharashtra) government has said that they would be providing required coal for the production. Production of the seventh unit has been stopped due to maintenance work and shortage of coal.
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