ANGUL: Preparations have begun to shut down the 460 MW Talcher Thermal power station (TTPS) from April 1 even as fate of the proposed 1,320 MW new plant in its place seems uncertain.
A unit of National Thermal power corporation (NTPC), the plant will close operations as its lifespan expires on March 31.
However, NTPC is yet to take any steps on setting up the new plant, an expansion project of TTPS.
The imminent closure of TTPS and lack of interest in the new power plant project have evoked large-scale resentment not only in Angul but also in Odisha.
The State draws 460 MW of power generated from TTPS at a very cheap rate. Besides, thousands of people who depend on TTPS for their livelihood will also be rendered jobless.
Sources said preparations to shut down TTPS, one of the oldest power plants in the country, has already started with officials issuing notices to the contractors concerned to stop work from the April . “As per the Central Electrical Regulatory Commission (CERC) guideline, the lift term of TTPS expires on March 31, 2021. It completes 20 years from its modernisation work which was carried out in 2001. We will seek approval from the corporate office soon for the closure,” said a top official of TTPS.
He further informed that the related paper works are also underway in the plant. There are about 230 permanent employees in the power plant and about 1400 contractual workers. All the contract employees will lose their job after closure of TTPS.
In 2018, NTPC had floated tender for the expansion project at a cost of `8,900 crore. However, no progress could be made as the State government failed to give clearance to the proposal. In February 2020, Odisha government gave its nod to the new plant but NTPC has shown little interest in the expansion project. Recently, a team from NTPC corporate office had come to review the prospects of the new plant but nothing is known about its fate.
Meanwhile, locals have formed an All Party Action Committee under Dhenkanal MP Mahesh Sahu to renew agitation for retention of TTPS and initiation of the new power plant. The outfit will hold a cycle rally to the Collector’s office at Angul on Thursday. The committee has already staged demonstration before the offices of the municipality, block and the Sub-Collector over its demand. Talcher Bar Association president Chhabi Kumar Sahu, who is leading the agitation, has also shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to initiate steps for opening the new power plant.