Independent power producers (IPPs) putting up their plants in Orissa have complained about delays in land acquisition, non-linkage of water and absence of a power evacuation system. They say their projects are behind schedule owing to these reasons.
The representatives of the IPPs have urged the state government to put in place a mechanism for speeding up land acquisitions and water supply linkages. They met the chief secretary late on Wednesday.
Chief secretary Ajit Kumar Tripathy has told the IPPs that district collectors have been directed to co-operate in every way possible with the power companies in land acquisitions and other activities.
According to state energy secretary Suresh Mohapatra, Vedanta Resources’ Sterlite Energy has acquired 700 acres out of the 3000 required for its 2400 (4 X600 mw) IPP at Bhukhamunda in Jharsuguda district.
The company is expected to commission the first unit of 600 mw by September 2009. The remaining three units would be commissioned in three-month intervals thereafter.
Bhusan Energy, which is setting up a 2000-mw station at Meramundali in Dhenkanal district, is expected to commission its first unit of 300-mw capacity very soon.
The work schedules of Visa Power, Navbharat Power, Monnet Power and Lanco Power have also been affected owing to delays in land acquisition and water supply linkages. While Visa is committed to setting up a 1000-mw plant near Athagarh, Navbharat Power will put up a 1050-mw thermal plant near Nuahata in Angul district. Lanco Power and Monnet Power have signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with the state government to set up 1000-mw and 700-mw stations at Bbandha and Nisha, respectively.
The energy secretary said Sterlite and Bhusan would be asked to supply the entire generation of their first units to the state grid. The state would then have an additional 1000 mw by 2009. Existing availability to the state is about 4000 mw while current demand is about 3000 mw.