Reliance Energy is planning to sign an MoU with MIDC within a week for its two group captive power plants (GCPP) coming
up at the Butibori and Patalganga (New Mumbai) industrial areas.
The coal-based 130 MW Butiobri will have an investment of Rs.585 crore while the gas-based 175 MW
Patalganga plant will cost Rs.550 crore.
MIDC has already reserved 150 acre of land at
Butibori for the plant while 61 acre has been kept aside at Patalganga.
The GCPP at Butibori will have the
potential of supplying electricity to around 1,000 units (kwh) in Butibori and Hingna. The project in Butibori will go on stream in 36 months.
More projects on the anvil: Four more
GCPPs of 100 MW each will come up at Ranjangaon, Hinjawadi (both in Pune),
Tarapore and Badlapur (both in Thane). Pre-qualification bids for these projects
has already been floated and have also received a good response.
Reliance Energy, Tata, Birla,
L&T, Wartsila are amongst those interested in the projects. The names
will be shortlisted after completion of required procedure. MIDC had also
planned to revive power plants which had become non-functional due to various
reasons.
It is for the first time that a GCPP was being
promoted in Maharashtra. Under the GCPP concept, the consumer becomes a
stake-holder in the project by buying some equity. This is with reference to the
amendment to the new Electricity Bill 2002 wherein industrial consumers are
allowed to generate electricity by becoming a stake-holder. MERC is promoting GCPPs in Maharashtra on MIDC
land to attract new industrial units.
Also See:
Reliance to set up
two group captive plants for MIDC (14-Sep-05)