Govt okays coal supplies for power projects

Government is understood to have approved supply of coal for power projects with a combined capacity of 34,000 MW, including new projects that have land, water and tie-up for equipment supplies.

"During a meeting of 'Standing Linkage Committee for Power' last week, the coal linkages for 34,000 MW capacity were approved," a Power Ministry official said.

He said the government is in the process of providing coal supplies to more power projects that fulfill the minimum criteria like availability of land and water. Even if the projects are able to show orders for power equipment that would suffice.

The government has set a target of 8,000 MW capacity addition for this fiscal. Projects of around 79,000 MW capacity are already under various stages of implementation.

Under the 11th five year plan (2007-12), government has set a capacity addition target of 90,000 MW including 11,500 MW from captive power plants.

After the planned capacity addition, the total generation capacity would be ramped up to about 2,37,554.97 MW by 2012.

Currently, power generation capacity of the country is 1,45,554.97 MW including 92,892.64 MW (thermal), 36,347.76 MW (hydro), 4,120 MW (nuclear) and 11,194.57 (renewal).