New projects will add 3,946 Mw to Genco’s existing capacity of 8,088 Mw
Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation Limited (APGenco) is currently executing 10 power projects, which are scheduled to be commissioned in the next two years.
The projects under construction include five thermal and an equal number of hydel power plants involving an investment of Rs 20,030 crore. They will together add 3,946 Mw to the Genco’s existing installed capacity of 8,088 Mw.
According to principal secretary (energy) Suthirtha Bhattacharya, of the 10 projects, the 500 Mw Kakatiya thermal power project (TPP), set up at a cost of Rs 2,960 crore, was already synchronised on March 31, this year.
He told Business Standard that the 9 Mw, fourth unit of Pochampad hydel power project was also complete and awaiting sufficient inflows into the reservoir for commissioning.
Genco director (finance), D Prabhakar Rao, said all the 10 projects were being funded by the Power Finance Corporation, Rural Electrification Corporation, internal accruals of Genco and loans from banks.
Besides the Kakatiya and Pochampad units, the other power projects under construction are 210 Mw unit-5 of Rayalaseema TPP, 500 Mw Kothagudem Thermal Power Station (TPS) stage-IV, 600 Mw Kakatiya stage-II, 2x800 Mw Krishnapatnam thermal power plant, 3x39 Mw Priyadarshini Jurala, 2x25 Mw Nagarjunasagar tail pond, 4x30 Mw Pulichintala and 6x40 Mw Lower Jurala hydel power projects.
While all the hydel power projects with a combined capacity of 536 Mw are scheduled to be commissioned by 2011 or before, the 3,410 Mw thermal power plants are slated to be commissioned by 2012.
Genco, the largest power generating company in the state, has embarked upon a massive capacity addition programme of 16,865 Mw during Ninth and Tenth Plan periods. It has so far executed three projects and added 1,037 Mw.
The programme envisages setting up of 11 thermal, 5 hydel, two gas and one nuclear power projects. Of these, 10 projects are under construction and 7 with a combined capacity of 11,882 mw are under the planning and development stage.
The seven projects under development involve an investment of Rs 68,130 crore. These include 5x800 Mw, Rs 19,804 crore Vadarevu ultra mega power project, 3x800 Mw, Rs 12,000 crore Srikakulam thermal power station and 2x100 Mw Kadapa nuclear power plant, which has been planned to be set up in a joint venture at a cost of Rs 20,000 crore.
The Vadarevu project is being executed by a special purpose vehicle, Andhra Pradesh Power Projects Limited, in which Genco has 51 per cent share and distribution companies (discoms) 49 per cent stake. An extent of 2,634.60 acres of land has been identified for the project in Prakasam district.
Similarly, 2,500 acres of land has been identified for the Srikakulam project. Preparation of feasibility studies and detailed project report are in progress.
Meanwhile, Bhattacharya said, the Transmission Corporation of AP (Transco) had invited tenders for procurement of 2,000 Mw of power. It intends to purchase 500 Mw from August 2012 and 1,500 Mw from October 2014 onwards. Price bids would be opened on August 16 and letter of intent would be issued by September 2010.
In the current year, Transco expects that the power shortage will be in the range of 6 million to 28 million units a day. It is planning to purchase power from traders and exchanges to reduce the deficit.
