The Unit I of 2,320 MW NTPC’s Mouda power project in Nagpur, Maharashtra, is likely to get delayed.
The Unit I of 500 MW was to be commissioned in June 2012. However, the company is unlikely to operationalise the unit in scheduled time due to uncertainty over water supply from the Gosikhurd dam. The project is estimated to cost Rs 16,500 crore.
NTPC has an agreement with the state government for drawing water from the dam, which has a design height of 241 mtrs. Currently, a system for drawing water from the dam is under construction. Now, the state government is now saying that it cannot store water in the dam beyond 237 mtrs. If dam authorities fill the dam to the full capacity (241 mtrs) then four villages near the catchment area will get inundated. In effect, the plant cannot draw water from the dam unless the system is reconfigured to draw water at 237 mtrs. Currently, discussions are being held between NTPC and the state government to sort out the issue.