NTPC Ltd is engaged in discussion with the West Bengal government to sort out land and coal linkage issues for the proposed (800x2) 1,600 MW power plant at Katwa in Burdwan district of the State, Arup Roy Chowdhury, CMD of NTPC told reporters here on Sunday on the sidelines of PanIIT 2012.

Some 556 acres of land, now in possession of the State Government, would just about enough for the plant. The company has asked for more land for the project for drawing a project layout, Roy Choudhury, who met the State Government officials on Saturday, said.

“We are hopeful that a solution could emerge as the State Government appeared keen on the project”, he added.

NTPC, however, made the State Government aware that, as a PSU, it cannot directly acquire land. “We have also made it clear that the project of this size would need around 500 acres for the fly ash pond alone. We have also discussed possible options in adjustments in the project configuration,” he said.

The staff colony and other facilities would require land not exceeding 50 acres.

Options

The proposed project cost estimate was earlier placed at around Rs 9,600 crore. Any change in the configuration, however, might also influence the cost, he pointed out.

“We have also considered the possibility of an ash pond at a reasonable distance for the plant, connected with an ash slurry pipeline. The State Government was also briefed about the need to link to a specific coal asset as the earlier linked coal block at Dhamagaria has been surrendered by the State Government.

Arup Roy Chowdhury said that apart from split location for various auxiliary services, other key possible option was downsizing the project.

“Unlike the Gajmara project in Odisha, we have not considered shifting of the Katwa project to another State. “But both (the state government and NTPC) have to work together to find out a middle road”, he observed.

jayanta.mallick@thehindu.co.in

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