The Hindu Business Line : Simhadri plant crosses power generation target

THE 1,000-MW Simhadri thermal station of the NTPC at Parawada near here generated 7,699 million units during the current financial year, the second year of its operation, against a target of 7,500 million units, achieving the plant load factor of 87.89 per cent, and the target for 2004-2005 has been set at 7,600 million units.

Mr R. Rama Rao, General Manager, said at a press meet here on Wednesday that the plant was doing exceedingly well on all technical parameters and the aim was to develop it into a model thermal station.

During the first year of its operation, 2002-2003, the plant had generated 4,972 million units and there were a few problems last summer due to faults in the transmission lines of AP Transco.

However, he said that the AP Transco had addressed the problem and taken corrective measures, and therefore, there would be no problem even during peak summer this year and the plant would be able to function unhindered.

Mr Rama Rao said the plant had earned roughly Rs 160 crore profit during the current year (2003-2004), but it may go down by Rs 50 crore or so during 2004-2005, even though the plant would function excellently, "as the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission has taken away the incentives which in my view is not a correct move." He said the plant has 560 employees and some of the project personnel may be redeployed in the other plants of the NTPC.

Referring to flyash utilisation, he said the plant with its two units was generating flyash of 15 lakh tonnes or so per annum and only 4 lakh tonnes of it was being used. "We are making all attempts to make the industry and the public aware of the uses of flyash and conducting educational programmes," he said.

Mr Rama Rao said the plant had entered into an agreement with Madras Cements for making use of the flyash and the cement unit was setting up a mixing plant and grinding unit in the vicinity of Parawada by the end of the year. That would take care of half of the flyash production.

"It is our aim to make full use of the flyash in five to six years," he said. He added that the plant had so far spent Rs 5.85 crore on community development activities and allocated Rs 40 lakh for the purpose during this financial year (2004-2005).

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