Date:17/09/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/09/17/stories/2007091761041000.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Stone laid for stage II of NTPC Simhadri

Staff Reporter

DEEPANJALINAGAR (VISAKHAPATNAM DT.): Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Sunday promised that power would be made available to all in the country by 2012.

The Minister was here to lay the foundation for stage II of NTPC Simhadri Super Thermal Power Project.

The project (2x500 MW) will involve an investment of Rs.5,038 crore. Both the units will be commissioned by 2011.

Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy presided and NTPC Chairman and Managing Director T. Sankaralingam welcomed the gathering. Union Minister of State for Mines T. Subbarami Reddy, State Ministers Mohd. Ali Shabbir (Power), Konathala Ramakrishna (Commercial taxes), Kanna Lakshminarayana (Transport), MPs V. Hanumantha Rao, P. Chalapathi Rao, Parawada MLA Gandi Babji and a host of leaders were present.

Major push

Mr. Shinde said the Centre was according thrust on capacity addition besides creating more inter-regional transmission capacity and giving a major push to rural electrification.

Referring to the National Electricity Policy, he said that under the 11th Five Year Plan, they had envisaged to make power available to all in the next five years and create a reserve of 5 per cent. He regretted the bottlenecks regarding access to power in rural and interior areas.