NTPC today signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the state-owned Grid Corporation of Orissa (Gridco) for sale of power from the central sector's proposed projects in three eastern states of Orissa, West Bengal and Bihar.
The PPA, signed in presence of Orissa's energy minister A S Nayak, aims to facilitate sale of power from NTPC's proposed thermal power plants at Darlipali and Talcher Thermal Expansion in the state, Katwa in West Bengal and Pirpainti and Muzaffarpur Stage II in Bihar to be commissioned during the 12th plan period.
NTPC, which was setting up thermal generation stations in the eastern region with an installed capacity of 7830 MW, would benefit states like Orissa, West Bengal, Bihar and others.
While 3200 MW of power was proposed to be generated from Darlipali power station of NTPC, the central public sector would add another 1320 MW by expanding its Talcher plant in the state.
The state would get 50 per cent of power to be generated from NTPC's Darlipali and TTPS's expansion plan at the rate of power production cost.
Similarly, the company had been setting up two thermal power plants at Katwa (1600MW), Farakka, Stage-II (500 MW) of West Bengal and Pirpainti (1320 MW) and MTPS, Stage-II (390 MW) in Bihar.
All these plants would start operation during the 12th plan period.
"As per the PPA signed today, the state government will avail 2818 MW of power from NTPC's proposed plant at an estimated cost of Rs 2.30 to Rs 2.70 per unit," said the minister A S Nayak.
At present, NTPC had an installed capacity of 7400 MW of power in the eastern region of which Orissa avails 1355 MW of electricity.
Stating that rise in the tariff was high due to the usage of imported coal in thermal power plants, Nayak requested NTPC to ensure mining of coal and provide adequate infrastructure like rail and road to facilitate coal availability in time and avoid depending on imported coal.