BHUBANESWAR: The State Government is reported to have offered minority stake to National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) for the proposed 2,400 MW thermal power plant at Kamakhyanagar in Dhenkanal district.
Though the national power major had agreed to set up the thermal power plant jointly with State-owned Odisha Thermal Power Corporation Limited (OTPCL), NTPC’s insistence for a majority stake in the project is not acceptable to the State Government.
“NTPC wants 100 per cent stake in the project and to provide 85 per cent of power to be generated from the plant to the State. But, it would not be viable for us,” sources in the Energy Department said.
NTPC agreed to be a partner in OTPCL’s 2,400 MW (3x800) coal-fired power plant in Dhenkanal. The issue was discussed between NTPC Chairman Arup Roy Choudhury and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here in November last year.
The State Government is keen to partner with NTPC for the national PSU which has expertise in developing thermal power plant, official sources said.
OTPCL, a joint venture between Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) and Odisha Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC), has proposed to set up the project with an investment of `17,000 crore. The project will require 1,969.8 acres, which includes 987.8 acres of Government land, 83.95 acres forest land and 982 acres private land. The State has already approved acquisition of 982 acres of private land at the project site.
The State Government has once again urged the Centre to allot two more coal blocks to Odisha Thermal Power Corporation Limited (OTPCL) for the proposed power project.
Chief Secretary GC Pati has recently written a letter to the Union Coal Ministry to allocate Chhendipada and Chhendipada-II coal blocks to OTPCL for the coal-based thermal power plant.
Though the State Government had requested the Centre to allot coal blocks to OTPCL under dispensation route, it has not been considered so far.