NTPC to set up 7,800 MW power plants in Nalgonda

HYDERABAD: National Thermal Power Corporation and Telangana Power Generation Corporation will set up thermal power plants of a total capacity of 7,800 MW at Damacharla in Nalgonda district.

A decision to this effect was taken by the Telangana government after an aerial survey conducted by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao on Tuesday. The Chief Minister went round the reserve forest area of Damacharla mandal by helicopter, besides inspecting the site on foot.

He decided that the area was much suitable for establishing thermal power stations. Reviewing the establishment of thermal stations after arriving in Hyderabad, KCR decided to allocate land to the NTPC for establishment of a 2,600 MW power plant at Damacharla.

As per the agreement, the NTPC is supposed to establish thermal power stations with a capacity of 4,200 MW, of which 1,600 MW is being added to the existing power plant at Ramagundam and works related to it commenced recently. Besides NTPC, Telangana Genco will also establish a power plant of 5,000 MW capacity at Damacharla.

KCR decided that Genco sets up five units with a capacity of 800 mw and two units with a capacity of 600 mw at Damacharla mandal. The government wanted to produce 6,000 MW of power through Telangana Genco and BHEL has taken up construction of four units with a capacity of 270 MW (total 1080 mw) at Ramanujapalli of Khammam district.

The works are expected to be completed in two years. The CM said that about 7,800 acres of land was available between Krishna River and railway track and this would suit setting up the power plants. He spoke with Union Minister Prakash Javadekar over phone since the land was in reserve forest.

The Union Minister assured that the permissions would be given within a week after receiving the proposals from the TS government. The Chief Minister decided to meet the Union Minister with his proposals personally at Delhi in the first week of January and directed the officials to prepare proposals.He also directed the Genco officials to prepare detailed project report for the proposed thermal power plants. He said that water would be provided from Krishna River.

The CM said that these projects not only help Nalgonda district to prosper but also in bringing Rs 55,000 crores of investments. He said that super towns would come up at the plants and about 30,000 would get employment.

Ministers P Laxma Reddy, G Jagadish Reddy, chief secretary Rajiv Sarma, CMO principal secretary Narasinga Rao, secretaries Smitha Sabarwal, Bhupal Reddy, Genco chairman Prabhakar Rao and Nalgonda District Collector Chirajeevulu were with the CM during the aerial survey.