HYDERABAD: The state government is not in a hurry to ask the Central government to start the second phase of NTPC power plant, as the State is self-sufficient in power. Though the state is fighting for the implementation of the assurances given in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, the state government is not insistent on one demand — setting up of 5X800MW (4,000 MW) power plant by the NTPC.
As per the assurance, the Centre started 2X800 MW power plant in the state, which will be commissioned in 2019. The remaining three units 3X800 MW i.e. 2,400 MW may not start soon, as the state has adopted the wait and watch policy.
“We have identified the land for the second phase of the NTPC plant, but we did not give our nod to the NTPC to start the unit,” official sources in the energy department said. The reason is that the state is comfortable in power generation today. In open access, the power is also readily available for cheaper prices. Meanwhile, the state started constructing 4,000 MW Yadadri power plant, which will be commissioned in 2020-21.
As and when the state government decides to have 3X800 MW power, it will give the go to NTPC. But, there are no such plans as of now, official sources said. The sources added that in the era of “power-sufficient” state in Telangana, the plant load factor (PLF), indicating the performance of each power plant, became redundant. “The state is tapping solar, hydel powers and is even coming out with wind power policy. When solar power is available, then the thermal power plants will be slowed down. Thus, one cannot rate the performance of the power plants by their PLF,” official sources said.
As the country is power surplus now, the average PLF has come down to between 65 to 75 per cent, sources explained.
Reversible pump saved money
According to officials, the TS Genco started operating reversible pumping facility at Nagarjuna Sagar hydel generating station for the first time in January this year. Using reversible pumping facility so far, about 12.75 tmc (70 million units) of water has been pumped back to the main reservoir.
