Bihar makes plea to allocate cheaper power to Bihar

PATNA: Bihar’s energy minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav on Friday made a plea to the Centre to allocate cheaper power of equivalent quantum from central sector generating units of other region to Bihar to mitigate the shortage.
Addressing the state power ministers conference at Vadodara (Gujarat), Bihar minister said that the presently Bihar has an allotment of 2933 MW of central allocation. Out of the existing allocation on of 2933 MW from Central sector, the availability is about 2000-2100 MW.
“Due to discrepancy Bihar has suffered in getting appropriate allocation.In view of the exponential increase in demand of power, the present allocation is not adequate to mitigate the demand – supply requirement” minister said.
The minister made a request to the Centre to allocate 50% power also from Kahalgaon (stage-II). Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited has bagged the Aruna-3 hydel project in Nepal which is expected to be commissioned in 2016-17. Around 78% power (702 MW) will be available for India from the said project, which would be evacuated through 400 KV Double Circuit Dhalkebar –Muzaffarpur Transmission line from 400 KV Grid Sub station of Powergrid at Muzaffarpur, he said.
Bihar can conveniently avail power generated from Aruna-3 through the said transmission line network. “Therefore, it is requested to allocate 250 MW power to Bihar from Aruna Hydel Project. In the last power ministers conference too, Bihar had requested for the same,” he said.
Bihar minister has also drawn attention of the Union power minister Piyush Goyal towards 2×250 MW Barauni Thermal Power Extension Project at a cost of Rs. 5308.3 crore, which is being executed by BHEL.
“The contractual completion schedule for the project has already expired in the month of July, 2014. The committed date of December 2016 has been again revised by BHEL for completion of Unit No 8 (2x250 MW) and presently it is March 2017 and June 2017. I would request you to direct BHEL to commission these units within committed time frame”, minister said.
Welcoming the setting up of 4000 MW Ultra Mega Power Project (UMPP) at Kakwara in Banka district, he said 2440 acres of land has already been demarcated at Kakwara village and 120 cusecs of water allocation has been made by Bihar’s water resources department.
The minister said that the formal allocation of coal block is still awaited. “I again request you to formally allocate the coal," he said and added that MoUs had been signed with NTPC and NHPC for setting up of greenfield Thermal Power projects at Kajra (Lakhisarai) and Pirpainti (Bhagalpur) respectively.
“MoU signed between NTPC In 2014 for two years has expired on February 2016. Bihar state power generating company limited (BSPGCL) has requested NTPC for their interest in the project for which reply is still awaited,” minister said.
The minister made a request to the Centre to look into these issues. Meanwhile, a team of NTPC had visited Kajra site on April 2016 to explore the possibility of setting up Solar PV park of 250 MW.