16,000 Mw allocation reworked

The allocation of 16,000 mega watt (Mw) power from four ultra mega power projects at Tadri (Karnataka), Sasan (Madhya Pradesh), Mundra (Gujarat) and Girye (Maharashtra) has been reworked on account of delays in clearances for setting up the projects at Girye (Maharashtra) and Tadri (Karnataka).

Allocation of 16,000 Mw has now been firmed up from the projects at Sasan, Mundra, Krishnapattnam (Andhra Pradesh) and the Orissa plant.

"Power allocation from the projects at Krishnapattnam (Andhra Pradesh) and a site near Sunderban (Orissa) were recently firmed up," a Power Finance Corporation executive told Business Standard.

Under the new grant, the maximum allocation of power has been made to Gujarat (1,900 Mw). Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have been allotted 1,600 Mw each.

While there are environmental issues in way of the projects at Tadri and Girye, the progress on the Akaltara mega power project in Chhattisgarh has been slow because the state government wants to pay only the variable cost for the power allocated from it.

"The projects at Akaltara, Girye and Tadri are facing problems. If the state government needs power, it will have to give ample support to the agencies involved in setting up the project either at the selected location or at a new site," a senior government official said.

In the earlier allocation of power, Maharashtra had received the maximum 3,800 Mw followed by Rajasthan and Gujarat with 1,600 Mw each.

Most of the states have paid the advance of Rs one crore for every 100 Mw of power allocated to them. "However, there are some payment issues with the Andhra Pradesh government that will soon be sorted out," the official added.