Multilateral development agencies, including World Bank and Germany's KfW, have agreed to offer Rs 1,100 crore in fresh soft loans for the modernisation of the power sector in West Bengal.
"World Bank has offered $50 million and KfW (German development bank) euro 90 million. The combined soft loans from these development agencies are close to Rs 1,100 crore of the Rs 1,700 crore needed to modernise three old units of Kolaghat," state's Power Secretary Malay De told PTI.
"The balance has to be raised from other sources to complete the renovation of three units of 210 Mw each at the Kolaghat thermal power plant," he said.
The six units of 210 Mw each at Kolaghat came into operation in two phases. Three units of Phase-I came into operation between 1983 and 1990 and the others under Phase-II after 1990.
Renovation of the old units would help increase the life span and fuel efficiency.
De said the exercise would expand the lifespan of the these power units by another 30 years.
The renovation at Kolaghat will be synchronised with the 500-Mw unit of Sagardighi becoming operational in 2015 to avoid any possible shortage of power during modernisation of existing units.
The West Bengal Power Development Corporation Ltd, or WBPDCL, has plans for two 500 Mw units at Sagardighi to add to its already existing 600 Mw capacity. The state had also taken World Bank assistance for renovation of Bandel unit 5 at a cost of Rs 600 crore.
