Reliance Energy ups Dadri project capacity

The capacity of Reliance Energy's mega power project near Dadri in Uttar Pradesh is being scaled up from 3,740-mega watt (mw) to 5,500 mw. This capacity addition makes it the world's largest gas based generation plant at a single location.

"The project will be completed within the earlier announced investments of Rs 10,000 crore," company executives said.

The natural gas for the project will be sourced from Reliance Group's Dhirubhai Ambani gas fields in the Krishna Godavari basin off the coast of Andhra Pradesh.

Land has been acquired for the project and it has received the environmental and state clearances. The plant will be commissioned by December 2008.

The company is in the process of inviting tenders for equipment from all power generation equipment manufacturers. GE, Siemens, Alstom and Mitsubishi have shown interests, sources said.

The project has a land area of 2,500 acre and a proximity to the water resources. Ganga canal is two to three kilometres away from the site.

The scaling up of capacity will help in meeting the demands of 170 million electricity consumers in Uttar Pradesh and adding to the northern region power kitty.