Karnataka to add 2300 MW by Sept.

Power-starved Karnataka is set for capacity addition to the tune of 2,300 MW. 'It is being done by Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. at a cost of Rs. 16,000 crore,' M Maheshwar Rao, Managing Director, KPCL, told Business Line.

He said 1,600 MW will be added at Yermarus Thermal Power Station (YTPS) in Raichur and the remaining 700 MW at the Bellary Thermal Power Station (BTPS) Unit 3.

YTPS will have two generating units with a capacity of 800 MW each. In BTPS, which already has two generating stations with 500 MW each, another unit with a capacity of 700 MW will also be added.

'It is one of the biggest capacity additions the State is seeing after a long time,' said Rao. KPCL has raised Rs. 16,000 crore through internal accruals and bank borrowings, he added.

The capacity addition was expected to go on stream by April this year but it got delayed due to various reasons, including labour unrest in Yedlapur and lag in importing some of the key equipment.

Rao said KPCL is waiting for environmental clearance for setting up the Yelahanka gas-based combined cycle power plant with BHEL being awarded the contract to carry out the project.

S Sampathraman, President, Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), said the additional power would expedite the completion of more projects.


HBL