BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has strongly opposed the Centre’s decision to phase out four units of Talcher Thermal Power Station (TTPS) during the 12th Plan period.
“Over the years, NTPC has undertaken massive renovation and modernisation works of TTPS in different phases with a capital expenditure of ` 750 crore which has already been approved and capitalised by Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) up to 2014 and the amount is in the process of realisation by NTPC from Gridco through tariff,” the State Government said in response to a letter from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).
Besides, the CERC in its June 19, 2002 order had extended the useful life of TTPS for 20 years (up to March 31, 2021), said Additional Secretary (Energy) Sangramjit Nayak in his reply to CEA.
The Ministry of Power has identified the first four units of TTPS with installed capacity of 60 MW each for shutting down during the 12th Plan period. These four units were commissioned between 1967 and 1969.
With an installed capacity of 460 MW, TTPS had commissioned two more units of 110 MW each during 1982-83.
After renovation and modernisation (R&M) of TTPS units, the thermal power station has been consistently running at a plant load factor (PLF) of 90 per cent and above. The operating parameters have shown noticeable improvement and the power station is source of dedicated power to the State, the Government argued.
“In view of the above fact, it will not be prudent to concede the retirement of Stage-I units (4X60MW) of TTPS during the 12th Plan as proposed by CEA,” the letter stated.
The State Government has requested the Ministry of Power to ensure that the capital expenditure made in R&M of the TTPS units are fully utilised and benefits passed on to the consumers of Odisha upto 2021 as approved by CERC.
As per the National Electricity Plan, the Centre has identified 4,000 MW capacity thermal power plants of non-reheat type coal-based, lignite and gas-based units for phasing out during the 12th Plan.
The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) taken over TTPS from the erstwhile Odisha State Electricity Board on June 3, 1995.