The 20 Mw Small Hydro Electric Project (SHEP) being set up by Orissa Power Consortium Ltd (OPCL) at Samal is likely to be commissioned in next two months.
OPCL is the second private developer to commission its SHEP unit in the state, sources said.
Meenakshi Power Ltd, another private developer, has commissioned two small hydro projects ( 25 Mw at middle Kolab and 12 Mw at lower Kolab) recently.
The Orissa government received about 160 applications from private developers for setting up of SHEPs (less than 25 Mw) and inked MoUs with 32 developers. The MoU signing companies include Orissa Power Consortium Ltd, Venus Energy Private Ltd, Sarbani Energy Private Ltd and Sidheswari Power Generation Private Ltd.
Out of it, 15 projects received techno-economic clearance (TEC) from the state government, minister of state for energy Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak said.
He said, Balimela Hydro Electric Extension Project (unit 7&8 having a capacity of 75 Mw each) has been declared commercially operational from 23rd December 2008 and 23rd January 2009 respectively.
Both the units were dedicated to the nation on 1st March 2009. It any be noted, the present capacity of Balimela Power House is 510 Mw.
Nayak said, the state government has signed MoU with 21 Independent Power Producers (IPPs) for setting up of thermal power plants in the state. Combinedly these plants will generate 27,035 Mw with an estimated investment of more than Rs 1,12,000 crore.
While Sterlite Energy is expected to commission its first unit of 600Mw in September this year, Bhushan Energy will commission its 300 Mw (2x150Mw) in next two months. The state aims to emerge as the power hub of the country and it will get about 5485 Mw as state’s share when all these projects are grounded.
In the state sector, two projects are lined up. They are expansion of IB Thermal Power Station (unit-3 &4) with an installed capacity of 1200 Mw and Orissa Thermal Power Corporation Ltd (OTPCL), a joint venture between Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC) and Orissa Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC), with an installed capacity of 2000 Mw in the state sector, the minister said.
