HYDERABAD: Allaying apprehensions over the Yadadri thermal power plant at Damarcherla in Nalgonda district, TS Transco and Genco chairman and managing director Devulapalli Prabhakar Rao said that all pollution norms are in place and the plant will not cause any hazard to humans or environment.
Speaking to reporters here on Thursday after conducting a detailed review meeting with officials of BHEL, which executes thermal plants of Genco, Rao said the Yadadri plant would be commissioned in October 2021. The 800 MW unit of Kothagudem Thermal Power Station will start its commercial operations this month.
Asked about Congress leader Komatireddy Venkata Reddy’s threat that if the Congress was voted to power, it would close down the Yadadri plant, Prabhakar Rao refused to react. He, however, added that the capital cost of Yadadri power plant was `29,965 crore. “Some media reported that the cost was Rs 70,000 crore. At the most, the cost of escalation will around 5% to 10% over Rs 29,965 crore,” he explained. “Already, civil works have begun. Rs 5,597.44 crore will be spent on the Yadadri power plant to ensure safety norms prescribed by the Union government.”
Coal shortage
Transco is unable to get power as per the agreements. “We are supposed to receive 2,560 MW of power from CGS but are getting only 1,400 MW to 1,500 MW. The problem is that the CGGs are unable to produce the power due to shortage of coal. Another provider, Sambhu Corp, is unable to supply 540 MW due to a generator problem in the plant.
The Chhattisgarh government is supplying only 350 MW against the contracted 1,000 MW due to coal problem. The private players in the state are not supplying 380 MW which they are selling to power exchange.