Date:15/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/15/stories/2008111560140400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Supply of full quantum of additional power from today

Special Correspondent

Eshwarappa to meet Chidambaram on Bijapur project

BANGALORE: Supply of additional 450 MW of power will commence from Saturday. This would help the five electricity supply companies to stick to the new power supply schedule announced by them.

The supply of additional power was supposed to have commenced from Friday. Banking on it, the five ESCOMs announced the schedule.

However, supply of a part of this (additional) power started on Friday and the full quantum would be supplied from Saturday, Energy Minister K.S. Eshwarappa told presspersons here on Friday.

The additional power, to the extent of 10 million units a day, would ill be supplied by the Jindal Power Company, G.M.R. Group and the energy exchange.

Meanwhile, sources said that the non-availability of additional power came in the way of sticking to the power supply schedule in some areas such as Kolar and Haveri on Friday morning. The situation stabilised later in the day.

Mr. Eshwarappa said consumers all over the State would get power as per the timetable already announced, from Saturday.

In villages, he said, consumers would get a total of 12 hours of power, with six hours in single phase and another six hours in three phase. This would be in force till December 30.

Mr. Eshwarappa said the power position would shortly be augmented when the third and fourth units of Varahi Hydro-electric Project with a capacity of 230 MW would commence generation. The Bellary Thermal Power Station would also reach the full potential of 500 MW.

Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram has convened a meeting in New Delhi on November 25 for discussing the State’s request on providing the benefits of a ultra mega power project to the thermal power station with a capacity of 4,000 MW proposed to be set up at Koodagi in Bijapur district. Mr. Eshwarappa would leave for Delhi on November 24 to meet the Finance Minister.

The Minister said a team of officers from the Union Power Ministry conducted a feasibility study of the Rs. 20,000-crore thermal power project. It would get four tmcft of water from the Alamatti reservoir.

Mr. Eshwarappa said the National Thermal Power Corporation would sign a memorandum of understanding with the State Government in about a month on the execution of a 2,000 MW thermal project on a joint venture basis in Karnataka.