Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today asked Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) and other agencies to expedite and complete the power projects at Barauni Thermal Power Station (BTPS) within the given time-frame.
BHEL is constructing two units (number 8 and 9) of 250 MW each at Barauni under extension project apart from carrying out renovation and modernization (R&M) work of units 6 and 7. Unit 7 started generation in November last year.
Kumar, accompanied by Energy Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav and other ministers and top officials visited the plant site and reviewed the progress of work and bottlenecks faced by it.
"Chief Minister directed the BHEL to expedite and complete the balance work of R&M of unit 6 of 110 MW capacity and also to complete construction of two new units of 250 MW each being developed under extension project at the same site- within a new time-frame given to it (BHEL)," principal secretary to the energy department Pratyaya Amrit told PTI.
Asked about the new deadline for completing the R&M work and completion of two new projects of 250 MW, Amrit said the deadline to complete the R&M work of unit 6 has been set at May 2017, while the deadline for completion of two new units of 250 MW has been set as May 2017 (for unit no 8) and September 2017 (for unit no 9).
During his visit to the plant, Kumar also visited the control room of unit 7 and expressed his satisfaction that it is running at 95 MW load.
Later, Amrit, who is also Bihar State Power Holding Company Ltd (BSPHCL) CMD, made a presentation during the review meeting to address the critical issues and the progress made so far, a government release said.
Bihar has been drawing 3,200 MW to 3,600 MW in the winter season from all sources, including 2,400-2,600 MW against the scheduled allocation of 2,942 MW from the central sector.
With the completion of the work at BTPS, Bihar would get the entire 360 MW of power its two new units of 250 MW and 110 MW from unit 6 after completion of R&M. BTPS is wholly owned by the state government.
BHEL has failed deadlines to start the two units of BTPS and construction of two new units of 250 MW each a number of times in the past.
Out of the two units is located at Barauni for which R&M is being carried out, one unit was commissioned on December 1, 1984, which stopped generation in March 2012.
The other unit was made operational on March 30, 1985 and it stopped generation in August 2006.
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