Tadadi ultra mega power plant back on track

The proposed 4,000 Mw ultra mega thermal power plant at Tadadi in coastal Karnataka is back on track with the Centre making certain modifications to the project, which had been put on hold owing to environmental concerns.

Environmentalists and local elected representatives opposed the move to use water from the local river for the thermal power plant and dispose of hazardous ash generated by burning coal at the project site itself.

Addressing the concerns raised by them, the Centre has decided to use desalinated sea water for the power plant and dump fly ash at a place located far from the project site.

"There was tremendous pressure from locals to shift the location of the project. After we apprised the Centre of the opposition to the project, the modifications have been made and it has been decided to go ahead with the project. We will convince the locals, elected representatives and the environmentalists on the need for the project," sources in the chief minister's secretariat told Business Standard.

When a state delegation met Union power minister Sushil Kumar Shinde in New Delhi, he made it clear that the project was not put on hold. "He also reiterated the Centre's commitment to implement the project," the sources added.

"As per the modifications, a desalination plant will be installed on the sea coast for supply of sea water to the plant and a pipeline will be laid to carry ash from the proposed power plant to the disposal site. Steps will also be taken to minimise pollution by importing coal with low ash content," the sources contended.

The power plant is one of the five proposed by the Centre. Similar projects are proposed to be set up in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. The projects will be awarded to developers on BOO (build, own, operate) basis. The projects, each with a capacity of 4,000 Mw, will add 20,000 Mw within a span of 7-8 years.

The Power Finance Corporation has formed a special purpose vehicle, Coastal Karnataka Power Limited, to implement the project.

The power plant will have five units of 800 MW each. Port facilities will be developed to import coal and transport it to the plant through conveyor belts. The project site is located near Tadadi, Kelagina, Stala and Bettakula villages in Uttara Kannada district.

At present, about 1,900-2,000 acres of barren land is available for the main plant out of which about 1,450 acres is already in possession of the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB). The total land requirement for the project is in excess of 2,500 acres.

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