Gujarat finally committed that they are not power surplus
Friday, 02 October 2009 TNN
Ahmedabad

State government officials said three sites have been shortlisted for setting up the second ultra mega power plant in Gujarat with an installed capacity of 4,000 MW.
Gujarat government has come clean on the power situation in the state. S Jagadeesan, state Principal Secretary, Energy and Petrochemicals Department, stated in unequivocal terms that ‘Gujarat is not a power surplus state.’ Sitting beside him at a press conference in Ahmedabad was State Minister for Energy Saurabh Patel, Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Union Minister of State (Power) Bharatsinh Solanki.

Jagadeesan said: “But we aim to generate surplus power by the end of the 11th Five Year Plan– March 31, 2012.” By then, the total installed capacity in the state will touch 18,759 MW as compared to the projected demand of 14,300 MW, he said.

“Taking the plant load factor as 80 per cent, which itself is on the lower side, we will be able to feed power to the entire state in every sector,” he added.

On the electricity distribution network in the state, Saurabh Patel said: “Though we provide 24-hour power supply to cities, we have a policy of 8-hour supply to the agriculture sector. Similarly, the industrial sector is adequately furnished (with power) as per its demand.”

Meanwhile, Shinde said that in the Central ministry’s review, it has been found that the Gujarat government is yet to start the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) in seven districts in the state. He added: “We have noted their problems in implementing RGGVY, but the state government has promised to start work on the same, soon.”

State government officials said three sites have been shortlisted for setting up the second ultra mega power plant in Gujarat with an installed capacity of 4,000 MW.

Notably, TATA Power is already constructing the first such project in Mundra.

Jagadeesan said: “These sites include Chara in Junagadh, Kandla Port in Kutch and coastal regions of Jamnagar. One of these sites will be selected. ”