For the first time Haryana and Delhi will become self-sufficient in coal supply as the states have been allocated their own coal block in Madhya Pradesh by the Central government.
It will also see an end to the coal shortage problem being faced by the Power departments of the said states. The Central government has jointly allocated a coal block to Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited (HPGCL) and the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi under the Government Company dispensation scheme. HPGCL and Indraprastha Power Generation Corporation Limited (IPGCL) formed a Joint Venture today to develop the coal block.
The agreement was signed by the managing director HPGCL Sanjeev Kaushal & Managing Director IPGCL R.K.Gaur in the presence of Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary (Power) Haryana Ashok Lavasa.
The name of the JVC has been proposed as Yamuna Coal Company Pvt. Ltd. (with its office at Faridabad) subject to the approval by Registrar of Companies. The coal block is situated in district Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh. The total area of the coal block is about 53 sq km. which has an estimated reserve of 950 million tonne of coal. These reserves would be enough to generate about 5,000 mw of power for 25 years if fully exploited.
Speaking on the occasion, Ashok Lavasa said that the demand of electricity has been increasing day by day and that the development of the coal block will go a long way to meet the power generation requirements of Haryana and Delhi. ?Since it is very expensive to bring the coal here, we are planning to set up a power plant at the pithead only. Once operational the power from this plant will be passed on to Haryana and Delhi,? he said.
Adding further he said, ?The coal from this block may be used for setting up power plants during the 12 th five year plan. This allocation of coal block will take care of the logistics issue with the railways, maintaining the coal stock etc.?
The mining will involve both open cast mining and underground mining. Sanjeev Kaushal, Managing Director, HPGCL said, ?The JV will help in bringing in a part of the coal to feed the coal starved power plants of the states. It is being examined to set up a 2,000 mw power plant at the pithead location to avoid hassle of transportation of coal for power generation. For deep underground mining the JVC will look at forming a partnership with public sector undertaking or private players having expertise in the field.?
The infrastructure development works required for the mining would be completed within three to four years. Simultaneously, the process of setting up of a Thermal Power Plant would also be started to meet the growing requirement of electricity of consumers. The power generated from this project would be equally shared by Haryana and Delhi.
The JVC will carry out the activities of prospecting exploring developing, selection of mine developer and prospecting coal from the mine and other related activities, clearances, approval and supply of coal / fuels to the power stations of Delhi and Haryana.