The NTPC-Simhadri power project is making all efforts to start commercial production from the unit and AP will get 452 MW from the 1,000-MW (two units of 500 MW each) generated in the second phase, according to Mr D.K Sood, General Manager in-charge of the plant.

While talking to reporters here recently, he said the power situation in Andhra Pradesh was critical and there was pressure from the State Government to complete the second phase quickly. “We have synchronised the fourth unit on March 30 and we will shortly start trial production soon. AP, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry will share the power generated in the second phase, 1,000 MW. AP's share will be 452 MW. The entire power in the first phase (2 units of 500 MW each) goes to AP,” he added.

Mr Sood said there was no additional land at Parawada for any more expansion, “but NTPC is proposing to set up a super thermal plant 0f 4,000 MW at Pudimadaka in Visakhapatnam district. We are awaiting the response from the State Government and, if the land is provided, the project can be taken up.”

Operational highlights

Referring to the operational highlights of NTPC-Simhadri during 2011-12, he said the plant generated 10297.28 MU of commercial power and recorded the lowest forced outage of 1.04 per cent among all NTPC stations. The unit one achieved continuous running of 441.12 days, the best among all coal-fired units of NTPC. The plant load factor (PLF) was 92.97 per cent during the year. “NTPC-Simhadri was the best among all stations during the year on all parameters,” he said.

He said that 16,75,000 million tonnes of ash was utilised during the year, which was 60.02 per cent of the total ash produced in the plant, and all the directives given by the AP Pollution Control Board were being strictly adhered to. For effective ash dyke management, works worth Rs 2 crore had been completed during the year.

CSR activities

Mr Sood said the NTPC-Simhadri had spent Rs 1.56 crore on corporate social responsibility activities during the year. In response to a question, he said the plant would require 32,000 tonnes of coal a day, and it was getting the coal from Mahanadi Coal Fields in Odisha as well as Singareni Collieries Ltd. “If there is shortage, we also import coal,” he said. He added that there were no hassels with regard to import, as Gangavaram port was located in the vicinity of the plant.

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