Karnataka Power & Energy Sector

[engineer.akash]

Originally Posted by Krishnamoorthy K

"Indra", the God of Lightning & Thunder may also have jurisdiction on electrical power. But, I am after Sun God, Air God "Vaayu" and Water God "Varun" for help in generating electrical power. Do you know which God is owning Oil Industry?

Hail the rain,sun and air/wind Gods.

[engineer.akash]

New Delhi, April 19, DHNS:

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has bagged the Rs 6,300 crore contract from Raichur Power Corporation Limited (RPCL) for setting up a 1,600 MW supercritical thermal power project in Karnataka.


The project envisages design, engineering, manufacture, supply, erection and commissioning of two coal-fired thermal units of 800 MW each with supercritical parameters at Yeramarus in Raichur district. BHEL has commissioned about 4,300 MW of power generating sets in the State, which include thermal as well as hydro units of various ratings.

DHNS

[Krishnamoorthy K]

* Plans to divest around 26% equity to raise funds

The Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL), the state-owned power generator, is looking at multiple options to raise up to Rs 5,000 crore to part-fund its ongoing power projects. The company plans to divest up to 26 per cent of its equity to raise the money, a top official said.

“We are in the process of adding 8,200 Mw in the next four to five years for an investment of Rs 40,000 crore, 20 per cent of which will be in the form of equity. To meet this equity requirement we need around Rs 5,000 crore which will be mobilised by divesting our stake up to 26 per cent,” S M Jamdar, managing director, KPCL said. KPCL has an installed capacity of 5,730 Mw.

For year-ended March 31, 2010, KPCL has achieved a provisional net profit of Rs 410 crore. The state government has allocated Rs 500 crore in the state budget for 2010-11 towards the equity requirement of KPCL, same as last year. Presently, KPCL has an authorised share capital of Rs 2,000 crore and the paid up share capital is Rs 1,243 crore. Besides, the corporation has reserves and surplus of Rs 2,630.6 crore as on March 31, 2009.

KPCL has appointed SBI Capital Markets as advisor for this purpose, which is presently studying the market conditions. The company is exploring various options to raise the funds, which include private placement or institutional placement or strategic partners, he told reporters, here today.

“We already have two strategic partners — L&T and BHEL — who are also joint venture partners in two of our upcoming projects. We are open to more such partners,” Jamdar said.

To add further 8,200 Mw capacity, the tendering and work for projects with 4,500 Mw capacities has begun. Recently, the company has issued work order for 800x2 units of thermal power project at Yeramarus and 800 Mw thermal projects at Yedlapur in Raichur district which will be done jointly with BHEL. It has floated tenders for 700 Mw third unit of Bellary Thermal Power Station at Bellary and 1,400 Mw gas-based power project at Bidadi. The work is likely to commence in July this year. KPCL is presently negotiating with the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) for the supply of gas for the Bidadi project.

In addition to these projects, KPCL is in the process of acquiring land for a 1,600 Mw thermal project in Chhattisgarh which will be executed in a joint venture with L&T. The ministry of environment and forests’ clearance is expected by June-end for this project.

KPCL is also awaiting MoEF clearance for the 2,100 Mw gas-based project at Tadadi in Uttara Kannada district. The cost of the project is estimated at Rs 6,000 crore.

Jamdar said the company is in talks with a host of commercial banks for raising debt for all the projects. It requires Rs 32,000 crore as debt for these projects over a period of five years.

BS

[Krishnamoorthy K]

Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL), which is facing frequent shutdowns at the first two units of Raichur Thermal Power Station (RTPS), is looking to set up a 600-800 Mw super critical thermal power station instead of renovating them. The Unit 1 and 2 of RTPS are 26 years old and generate power below their capacity. At present, they together generate around 230 Mw as against 420 Mw.

S M Jamdar, managing director, KPCL, said the cost of renovation of these two units will be close to Rs 400 crore and the setting up of an altogether new unit using super critical thermal technology will cost around Rs 3,000 crore for a 600 Mw unit.

A super-critical plant has a thermal efficiency of 45 per cent, as compared with a sub-critical plant’s efficiency level of 30-38 per cent.

“We had commissioned Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) to study the health of Unit 1 & 2 of RTPS. BHEL has recommended for renovation and modernisation of these two units to increase their life for further 15 years or go in for a new unit using super-critical technology and set up a 600-Mw project. We are examining both the options and will take a decision within three months,” Jamdar told reporters, here on Thursday. BHEL had supplied the equipment for the first two units of the RTPS.

He said within the existing land in Raichur, the company could set up a bigger project instead of repairing Unit 1 and 2. However, this will result in the closure of both the units for at least two years.

“Given the present power scenario in the state can we afford to shut down these two units, which yield around 230 Mw of power every day?” he pointed out.

KPCL is aware of the present situation and has put off a decision in this regard for the time being and will decide later, he said.

BS

[Krishnamoorthy K]

BANGALORE: The move to regulate and index the prices of coal by the Indonesian government is likely to marginally push up the cost of generation of thermal power in the State.

According to Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. Managing Director S.M. Jaamdar, the increase in the cost of imported coal may be felt in about three months. “The KPCL is allowed to directly pass on any increase in generation cost, owing to the increase in coal costs, to the Escoms who buy power from it,” he said. However, the impact of increase in coal costs would be negligible as the KPCL imports only 10 lakh tonnes of coal from Indonesia out of its total coal consumption of 80 lakh tonnes a year.

Power experts maintain that power consumers may be safe for the time being as the Escoms cannot directly pass on to them any increase in cost without taking permission from the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission.

Old for new?

Mr. Jaamdar told presspersons that the KPCL is considering a proposal for replacing the over-aged Unit I & II of the Raichur Thermal Power Station with a super critical thermal generating unit with a capacity of 660 or 800 MW. A decision on whether to renovate and modernise these two units or replace them with a new unit will be taken soon. Referring to the frequent technical snags suffered by Unit I & II of the RTPS, he said such snags are bound to surface as the units had already completed their life span of 25 years. They were generating only about 150 MW of power against their total potential of 210 MW each. The renovation and modernisation of these units would cost around Rs. 200 crore each, and the units would have to stop generation for about two years. But the KPCL had put off any decision in this regard as the State would lose about 7.5 million units of energy a year if the generation by these two units was stopped.

Cutting losses

Mr. Jaamdar alleged that the coal wash contract awarded by the KPCL for six years from 2001 to three private firms from north India had caused a loss of Rs. 3,000 crore to the corporation. After stopping the coal-wash, the thermal power generation cost had reduced by 14 paise a unit, he said.

The Hindu

‘State not getting allocated power from Central grid'
State to build 12 biodiesel plants in Davangere, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Chintamani, Tumkur and Chamarajanagar in first phase and Udupi, Karwar, Shimoga and Kodagu in second phase ad then two more places.

[Krishnamoorthy K]

Guttakadu villagers with the help of a few local electricians have solved the problem of electricity by erecting three solar panels. CFL bulbs are glowing from 7 pm to 10 pm in 15 houses in the village using the electricity stored in batteries.



Udayavani

Hope that others will also be inspired by this.

[engineer.akash]

Originally Posted by Krishnamoorthy K

Guttakadu villagers with the help of a few local electricians have solved the problem of electricity by erecting three solar panels. CFL bulbs are glowing from 7 pm to 10 pm in 15 houses in the village using the electricity stored in batteries.

Fantastic ,Why not replicate the same in other villages as well?

[Krishnamoorthy K]

* About 3,500 acres identified for the ultra power infrastructure

The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) is planning to start the construction work of its proposed mega thermal power project at Kudgi in Bijapur district by the end of this year.

“The Karnataka Government has already initiated the process for acquisition of land. Once the land is handed over to us, we will start the construction work, which is expected to begin by end of December,” R S Sharma, Chairman and Managing Director of NTPC told Deccan Herald here.

NTPC has handed over a cheque of Rs 26.22 crore to the Karnataka Government for land and requested the State Government to expedite the process of acquisition. The company is satisfied about the State government’s response in this regard, he said.

Though the company earlier had planned to hold the ground breaking ceremony in March this year, later it decided to wait till it got the possession of land completely, he said adding that the company has already applied for environment and forest clearance with authorities concerned for the project.

The NTPC is proposing to build 4000 MW ultra mega power project in Kudgi with an investment of Rs 20,000 crore. About 3,500 acres of land had been identified for the project while NTPC required 1,900 acre of land to begin with.

The supercritical thermal power plant would have five units of 800 MW each and first phase comprising three generating units was expected to be commissioned by 2013-14.

80 million units of power

The proposed plant will have the capacity to generate 80 million units of power a day and 50 per cent of it would be supplied to Karnataka while the remaining would be shared among other States through the Central Grid.

The Company claimed that project would adopt an advanced super critical technology that would reduce carbon dioxide emission besides burning less fuel with higher output.

The MoU for the project had been signed between the Karnataka Government, NTPC and the State-held Power Compansy of Karnataka Ltd on January 12, 2009. The State has agreed to allocate 5.2 tmc ft of water per year to the project from Almatti dam.

DHNS

[Krishnamoorthy K]

* Three will be in the private sector, fourth to be executed by KPCL
* Cabinet approves high-speed rail link to BIA
* Namma Metro network to include new areas

Bangalore: Karnataka, which has been facing a power shortage for the past two years, will have four new gas-based power projects along the route of the Dabhol-Bangalore gas pipeline being executed by Gas Authority of India Ltd.

The State Cabinet, which met here on Thursday, approved the projects, apart from a high-speed rail link to Bengaluru International Airport at Devanahalli and a monorail that will be connected to the Namma Metro rail network. The Metro network will be extended to new areas, including Kengeri on the western outskirts of Bangalore.

Location of plants

Briefing presspersons on the Cabinet decisions, Home Minister V.S. Acharya and Law Minister S. Suresh Kumar said three of the power projects — 700 MW each — would come up at Hukkeri in Belgaum district, Mundargi in Dharwad district and Harapanahalli in Davangere district in the private sector.

The fourth is the 2,000 MW gas-based project at Bidadi to be executed by Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. Each of these projects will require around 300 acres of land. Construction of the gas pipeline is expected to be completed by 2012.

Dr. Acharya said the Cabinet also approved the purchase of 700 MW of electricity on a short-term basis from cogeneration units (200 MW) and from Jindal Power (500 MW). While the cogeneration units will be paid Rs. 5 a unit, Jindal will be paid Rs. 6.50 a unit, and this short-term contract is valid until May 31. The State has been purchasing nearly 1,000 MW over the past two months to tide over the shortage. The high-speed rail link to the international airport from the Parade Ground on Mahatma Gandhi Road will be via Hebbal and Yelahanka.

The Cabinet also decided to stand guarantee for a Rs. 1,000-crore loan for the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike meant mainly to widen some of the arterial roads. The Cabinet approved the upgrading of National Highway 4 between Hubli and Dharwad (20 km) at a cost of nearly Rs. 150 crore. The Union Government has granted Rs. 50 crore for this and has promised that another Rs. 50 crore will be provided. Tenders will be called shortly.

Other decisions

The following are the some of the other Cabinet decisions: only officers of the IAS and professors who have put in 10 years of service will be eligible for appointment as registrars of universities; nearly 1300 personnel to be recruited to the Department of Survey Settlement and Land Records; special duty allowance for police personnel serving in the Anti-Naxal Force; and 12.28 acres of land to be granted to the Indian Institute of Human Settlement in Kempe Gowda layout of the Bangalore Development Authority at a subsidised cost.

The Hindu

[Krishnamoorthy K]

BANGALORE: After accepting to revise the Karnataka Renewable Energy policy, the state energy department, in return is now planning to set a production target of 1,000 MW for 2010-11. But producers say this is impossible.

“The Chief Minister has approved the revision in the policy and producers will be duly notified soon,” said K Jairaj, Principal Secretary, Department of Energy.

Jairaj said, “We are also thinking of asking stakeholders to scale the production for 2010-11 to 1,000 MW”.

Last year, the energy department had set itself a target of 856 MW, but was only able to add 356 MW energy.

But this time, obstructions by the producers could affect the overall demand for meeting renewable energy targets of 6,400 MW by 2014.

Meanwhile, the renewable energy producers, who will be meeting the energy department on May 5 to discuss their plans and programs said they will only be able to ‘maybe’ add 600 MW energy this year.

“It would be impossible to produce 1,000 MW power this financial year. But if given due encouragement, we just might be able to reach a target of 600 MW,” said a producer.

“Though the government has agreed to make amendments in the policy, still the issue of attaining forest and private land still remains,” he said. Renewable energy stakeholders, for long have been demanding simplification of procedures.

“If the government really expects the energy scenario to improve, then the renewable energy sector needs drastic changes,” said a producer.

However, Jairaj has said, “We are constantly working with the forest department to clear out hurdles for the department and these issues will be sorted out soon”.

In order to chalk out evacuation hurdles, the stakeholders will be meeting the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation (KPTCL) on May 10.

Empowerment camps

In a bid to reach out and empower citizens, the Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited is conducting camps at seven districts. The first camp concluded in Bagalkot on April 30 and the remaining will soon be held at Gadag, Dharwad, Bijapur, Haveri, Belgaum and Koppal.

EB


State to replace incandescent bulbs with CFLs

[Krishnamoorthy K]

Photon Energy Systems has established a 3MW PV plant in India, hailed as the largest capacity PV plant in the country. The new plant has been installed for the Karnataka Power Corporation for the enhancement of rural power supply in the towns of Itnal and Chikodi located in the Belgaum district. The new plant proudly supplies energy for the agricultural pump-sets in the area.

In just about six months, the plant was constructed on 17 acres using 13,000 modules. Since its commission it has produced 1.76 million units of solar power into the grid.

PV Tech

[Krishnamoorthy K]

Padubidri, May 6: Udupi Power Corporation’s initial power production at the cost of Rs 5,300 crores will begin on 10th May said UPCL General Manager Kishore Alva.

The power plant has the capacity of producing 600 mega watts and it has two units. This is a coal based power producing plant and the preliminary preparations and test are already done. Coals have already been stored, so the production will begin before the planned date.

2nd unit by the end of July :

Second unit of the power plant which has the capacity to produce 600 mega watts will be ready by the end of July, Alva said.

In the first step, UPCL power will be transferred through grid to Shimoga, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.

State Government has no lines to receive the power through grids. KPTCL has prepared to receive the power using the Varahi line. During this adjustment period, the loss in electricity flow will affect the consumers. The company has disagreed to take the responsibility, due to this the government will have a tough time.

Udayavani

Since the plant is commissioned earlier KPTCL need not worry till the scheduled date? Even second unit is also starting early?

[sixsigma1978]

India's Karnataka state government has suggested the Tadri area to Power Finance Corporation (BSE:532810) for setting up 4,000 MW ultra mega power project (UMPP) in the state.

The state government in a letter to Power Finance Corp, the nodal agency for ultra mega power projects (UMPPs), said that, "Tadri is best suited for an UMPP considering the topography, minimum problems in resettlement and proximity."

PFC had earlier requested the state government to suggest a new site for the UMPP after the previously suggested sites Kudgi and Mannur were found unfit for the projects as they were neither coastal nor a pit-head locations -- a clause mandatory for executing a UMPP.

Meanwhile, the Standing Committee on Energy has emphasised that "the UMPPs will form the back bone of power generation in the 12th Plan Period (2012-17)."

It further suggested that all sites need to be finalised at the earliest and handed over to the respective developers to execute them in the next 5-7 years to make power available at low and competitive rates in the future.

The government has so far awarded four UMPPs of which three have been bagged by Reliance Power. Tata Power is executing one such project at Mundra in Gujarat.

PFC has also invited the preliminary bids for the fifth UMPP at Sarguja in Chhattisgarh.

(PTI) ms

For full details on (PWFEF) PWFEF. (PWFEF) has Short Term PowerRatings at TradingMarkets. Details on (PWFEF) Short Term PowerRatings is available at This Link.

I don't understand!! I thought the ground breaking ceremony for the Kudgi 4000MW plant was done on March 30th!!! Why is it that the government is now talking about Tadri?

[Krishnamoorthy K]

* Six million units of power will be added to the State grid
* Work on second unit of BTPS on in full swing
* ‘First two units of RTPS have problems, hence closed'

Shaktinagar (Raichur): The 250-MW eighth unit of the Raichur Thermal Power Station (RTPS) is ready for power generation. The unit is likely to be commissioned by May 25, and it will begin commercial operations within the next two months, adding another six million units of power to the State grid.

Speaking to The Hindu recently, S.M. Jaamdar, Managing Director of Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. (KPCL), said testing of all components of the unit was almost over and the unit would be synchronised with the other units on May 15. All components had been functioning well, giving KPCL the confidence to synchronise the unit.

Mr. Jaamdar said the unit should have been commissioned in September 2009, and the delay was owing to technical changes in the installed capacity.

He said work on the super-critical thermal power station at Yermarus, near Raichur, was in progress, and KPCL had obtained the statutory clearances from the Centre. The KPCL had taken up civil works, while Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL), to which the contract for installation of boiler and turbine generator (BTG) had been awarded, was designing various components.

Mr. Jaamdar said work on the 500-MW second unit of the Bellary Thermal Power Station (BTPS) was in full swing, and already 61 per cent of work had been completed. Now, construction of the turbine generator deck and other components was in progress. The unit would be commissioned by April 2011.

Work on another thermal plant near Udupi was also on and it would be commissioned in December.

To a question, he said that normal power generation at RTPS was affected owing to many reasons. The first two units could not function to their optimal levels because they had aged. The units had been functioning for the past 25 years. Many key components of the two units had worn out and had to be replaced. For this, they needed closure for a two-year period. However, this project would be taken up only after the commissioning of the BPTS unit and the one in Udupi.

On the continued shutdown of the fourth unit of the RTPS, he said this was the best among all the seven. But it was closed since April 13 owing to faults in its turbine and generator, which were supplied by a Japanese company. Now the company had been asked to send a team of experts. To another question, Mr. Jaamdar said the KPCL had ordered investigation into incidents such as coal and oil thefts and fire at the RTPS coal yard. It had already initiated action against some employees of KPCL for their alleged involvement in them, he added.

The Hindu

[Krishnamoorthy K]

Bangalore: Preparations are gaining pace for the mega event of the year, the Global Investors Meet (GIM), which hopes to new investments Rs3 lakh crore. But where is the power for the new industries when the state is already reeling under a severe energy crisis? This is the question being asked by investors and the public.

However, principal secretary (commerce and industries) VP Baligar is eager to allay such fears. “The state has initiated action to add 12,000mw to the grid within the next three years. We are tapping every power source: hydel, thermal, gas, wind and solar.”

While over 300 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) are likely to be signed during the GIM on June 3 and June 4, it would take two to 10 years for the new industries to come up. The gestation period of these projects would give the state enough time to ensure power supply for them.

Giving details of the state’s plan to generate more power, a senior energy department official told DNA, “Work will begin in April to set up a 1,400mw gas-based power plant at Bidadi. The capacity of the existing 120mwdiesel-based unit at Yelahanka will be expanded to 700mw.” The first unit of the Udupi thermal plant with a capacity of 600mw will be commissioned in the next few months, and a 500mw second unit of the Bellary Power Corporation will be commissioned in November. The 250mw eighth unit of the Raichur thermal plant will also be commissioned soon.

Work on a 4,000mw thermal power plant in Bijapur with NTPC will start soon and land acquisition for the project has begun.Two units of 800mw each at the thermal plant at Yeramaras in Raichur district, 800mw thermal plant by BHEL at Yedlapur, 600mw third unit by Karnataka Power Corporation in Bellary, 1,320mw thermal plant by Power Company of Karnataka at Fairozabad in Gulbarga district, 1,320mw hydro plant at Ghataprabha by Power Company of Karnataka and 800mw thermal plant at Godhana in Chhattisgarh are expected to go on stream in the next four years.

DNA

[Krishnamoorthy K]

* Government yet to prepare EIA report: environmentalist
* We are not opposing the project: HKEAPC chief
* Even KSPCB clearance not obtained: Deepak Gala

GULBARGA: Many questions have been raised on whether the State Government was following the rules and getting clearances from the Ministry of Environment and Forests and other agencies before setting in motion the process for acquisition of land for the 1,320-MW Super Critical Thermal Plant at Ferozabad in Gulbarga taluk.

Environmentalists and farmers who are opposing the thermal plant have pointed out a fact that the Ministry of Environment and Forests had declined clearance to another thermal plant proposed between Kattisangavi and Madri villages in Jewargi in 2007 citing various reasons, including the pollution of the Bhima.

In the case of the now-abandoned Kattisangavi-Madri Thermal plant, the Government agencies had prepared an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report and applied for clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests before acquiring land. However, in the case of the Ferozabad thermal plant, the Government, according to environmentalist and president of the Hyderabad Karnataka Environment Awareness and Protection Committee (HKEAPC) Deepak Gala, is yet to prepare the environmental impact assessment report.

Mr. Gala expressed surprise over the alleged lack of transparency in the matter. He alleged that the Government was not ready to disclose the project report. His efforts to obtain a copy of the project and the environmental impact assessment report, if it had been completed, had failed to evoke any response from the Government, he said.

Talking to The Hindu, Mr. Gala said that the Government should follow the rules and prepare the environmental impact assessment report, conduct a public hearing with the stakeholders and apply for environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

It should wait till clearance is given before going ahead with acquisition of land, he said.

He said that the speed with which the process of land acquisition is being carried out has surprised many giving room for suspicion. Making it clear that Hyderabad Karnataka Environment Protection and Awareness Committee was not opposing the power plant, he said it only wanted the Government to get clearance for the project from the Union Government before acquiring land.

Mr. Gala said that the Government, which has set itself on the path of acquiring land for industrialisation in different parts of the State, should first get clearances from the Ministries concerned before acquiring land.

In the case of the Ferozabad thermal plant, the Government had also not applied formally for clearance from the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), Mr. Gala said.

The Hindu

Gulbarga: Bio-fuel production from next month
Saplings to be planted in 25,000 hectares in State - 12 biodiesel plants to be set up in State

[Krishnamoorthy K]

BANGALORE: With growing interest among the investors — both international and national — in the energy sector, the state energy department hopes to rope in investments worth Rs 1,200 crore at the Global Investors Meet in June.

“For the Global Investors Meet, we have 3,000 MW of projects on offer,” said K Jairaj, principal secretary (Energy). “Foreign investors have shown positive interest in taking power projects here.” The energy department has already floated tenders for projects. 700 MW projects are being offered in Davanagere and Belgaum, while issues such as land, water and other related factors are being decided.

The Power Company of Karnataka Limited will call for expression of interest on June 4, Jairaj said.

A 700 MW gas-based project on non-PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) basis will also be offered, he said.

Foreign investors have showed interest in gasbased projects and even renewable energy projects, the official said.

Leading private power companies, including GE, would be participating.

“We have had positive responses from all foreign embassies and many private players,” said a senior official. “There has been considerable interest in 80 to 300 MW gas-based projects.” The Gas Authority of India Ltd has agreed for b6 gas-pipelines. “Though the gas rates will be slightly high, still the companies can benefit from switching from diesel (to gas),” he said.

Actualising deals will take 4 years

It is estimated that the projects, after the sanction, will take around three to four years to be fully operational. At present, the demand-supply gap in the state is around 20 per cent. Karnataka is aiming to increase its supply to 14,383 MW against a projected demand of 13,531 MW by 2013-14.

Rs 1,000-cr dreams for textile sector

Textile Minister Goolihatti Shekhar said over Rs 1,000 crore investment was expected in the textile sector. Garment giants like Shahi Exports and Bombay Rayon have come forward for investment.

EB

FUN FACT: The largest photovoltaic project in the works today is a 10-GW solar farm – combined with a 3-GW wind farm – slated for the Karnataka region of India. Airvoice Group is partnering with power company Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam to build the project, of which the solar part is expected to cost $45 billion. But the companies have projected no target date for the project's completion.

renewableenergyworld
Why fun fact? Every project need not have targeted completion date.

[Krishnamoorthy K]

* Joint measurement survey completed on the lands at Ferozabad
* Steps being taken to issue final notification
* Lack of political support for farmers' agitation

GULBARGA: The establishment of a 1,320 MW super critical thermal power plant on 1,516 acres of fertile land at Ferozabad on the Gulbarga-Jewargi National Highway appears to be certain with the State Government going ahead with the completion of formalities to acquire land with clinical precision.

Brushing aside protests by farmers of Ferozabad, Honna Kiranagi and Nadi Sinnoor villages, who would lose their lands, the State Government first issued 4 (1) notification indicating the wish of the Government to acquire the land to farmers concerned a few months ago.

Recently, the authorities served 6 (1) notification under the Land Acquisition Act identifying the extent of lands of individual farmers whose lands would be acquired after “completing the Joint Measurement Survey (JMS) on the lands scheduled to be acquired”.

The survey is mandatory before issuing the 6 (1) notification identifying the assets including the wells, trees, houses, tanks and other assets in the lands for fixing the compensation for individual farmers who own them at the time of acquisition.

Read more on The Hindu.

[Krishnamoorthy K]

* More to file objections today
* 1,320-MW Super Critical Thermal Plant to be built
* 1,516 acres to be acquired from three villages

GULBARGA: At least 48 farmers, owning around 600 acres of land in the three villages of Ferozabad, Honna Kiranagi and Nadi Sinnoor in Gulbarga taluk, filed their objection on Friday against the proposed acquisition of their lands to set up a 1,320-MW Super Critical Thermal Plant.

Read more on The Hindu.

Airport evacuees are happy with district administration; but, thermal plant evacuees are not happy.

Udupi: Delay in Nagarjuna Thermal Power Plant Commissioning Likely

[Krishnamoorthy K]

* 5 p.c. equity was to be provided in addition to market price for acquired land
* The norm which had put a ceiling on the maximum size of windmill to 50 MW has also been removed from the policy.

BANGALORE: The State Government has amended the renewable energy policy to incorporate some of the changes suggested by private project developers including deletion of the provision that made it mandatory to provide 5 per cent equity from power generated by private windmills to the farmers losing land.

Announcing this at a press conference here on Tuesday, Indian Wind Power Association's Karnataka State Council President B.S. Shetty and Secretary U.B. Reddy said a notification regarding amendment of the renewable energy policy was issued on May 6.

Mr. Reddy maintained that normally land-losers would be given “fancy prices” by renewable energy project developers and that there was no need to provide equity in the power generated to them. The renewable energy policy was brought out by the State Government on January 19 and notified in the State Gazette on February 9.

As per the equity provision, 5 per cent equity was to be provided to farmers in addition to the market price for the land to compensate for losing the livelihood.

However, soon after the policy was published, project developers took exception to some of the provisions including that pertaining to the equity norm.

Concern

They had expressed concern that such norms would discourage project developers. Following this, the Government held several rounds of consultations with them before amending the policy.

The Government has also deleted the clause which stipulated private project developers to handover wind energy projects to the Government-held Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited after the lease period of 30 years. As per the amended clause, the lease period will be extended for five-year terms on mutual consent after the completion of the 30-year lease period.

The provision for applying the norms of the policy with retrospective effect to old projects has also been changed and that it is now applicable only for projects approved after the date of publishing of the policy.

The other changes include lifting the norm which had put a ceiling on the maximum size of windmill to 50 MW and assigning the power purchase agreements through the Energy Department instead of Power Company of Karnataka Limited.

Mr. Reddy said the State Government had also assured them of examining their demand for making provisions for direct purchase of land from farmers for setting up wind energy projects.

Additional Chief Secretary (Energy Department) K. Jairaj had also assured them of holding a tripartite meeting with them and Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) authorities to look into the problems of evacuation of energy from wind energy projects, Mr. Reddy said.

Expressing satisfaction over the response of the Government, Mr. Reddy said the changes would encourage project developers and ensure that a minimum of 700 MW of wind power was added to the State grid by the end of this financial year.

Investment

This would bring in an investment of about Rs. 3,500 crore besides creating 3,500 jobs, he said.

The Hindu