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Pratim Ranjan Bose

Mejia June 19 Power cuts may be a passé in Bengal soon. The State-owned power utilities — West Bengal Power Development Corporation Ltd (WBPDCL) and Durgapur Projects Ltd (DPL) — are slated to add 2,470 MW of fresh generation capacity by October-November this year.

The two utilities currently have a total generation capacity of 7,616 MW . The peak demand shortage is 400-500 MW.

Excess demand

"Currently there is an excess demand situation in the State. We will be able to meet the rising demand in the next couple of months after adding 2,470 MW power when Bakreshwar, Santaldihi, DPL and Puruila Pumped Storage projects go on stream," the West Bengal Power Minister, Mr Mrinal Banerjee, said.

He was speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the 1,000 MW (2X 500 MW) Mejia Phase II thermal power project of the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) on Tuesday.

The West Bengal Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, said the State was slated to attract an investment of about Rs 31,500 crore in the 11th Five Year Plan period for setting up 7,842 MW of fresh generation capacity.

"While the State utilities will add nearly 2,800 MW during the Eleventh Five Year Plan, central power generation companies such as NTPC and DVC, will add 5,042 MW," he said.

Mejia thermal power station currently produces 840 MW (4X 210 MW). Another 500 MW (2 X 250 MW) will go on stream by September this year. The plant is now operating at close to 100 per cent PLF.

In the second phase, two units of 500 MW each will be set up by March 2010 taking the total capacity of the plant to 2,340 MW.

DVC has also proposed a greenfield project at Raghunathpur in Purulia in West Bengal. The proposed plant will generate about 1,200 MW (2x600 MW) in the first phase.

More Stories on : Power | West Bengal

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