Delhi clears plan to set up 1,000 MW power plant

The Delhi government on Monday cleared a proposal to set up a 1,000 MW gas-based power plant through private corporate developers, a step likely to ease the perpetual power crisis in the city.

A meeting of the Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit approved the project to come up in Bawana in West Delhi, an official release said.

The project is planned to be developed through private corporate developers through a transparent process of competitive bidding and tendering, it said.

The new plant is expected to go a long way in helping the city achieve self-sufficiency in meeting its requirement for power.

The government has also decided to pass an order for compulsory use of solar power for advertising hoardings and water heating in government and some categories of buildings.

"The Delhi government has agreed to pass an order on the lines of one passed by the Andhra Pradesh government in August making use of solar energy for advertising hoardings, street lighting and hot water for certain category of buildings mandatory," minister for non-conventional energy resourses Vilas Muttemwar said.

"I spoke with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and some of his ministerial colleagues on suggestions for energy conversation and even before I returned to Selhi they issued a government order to this effect," he said at a national conference on renewable energy for urban areas.