The combined cycle power plant at Yelahanka, Karnataka which has been facing delays for several years, will be soon commissioned by April 2019. The test operations will be conducted when the peak load sees a sharp rise.

The project is pegged to be Bengaluru’s first own power plant, its construction was launched by the then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in June 2016 and was expected to be ready by May 2018.

The 370 MW plant is coming up in place of a defunct diesel plant at a cost of Rs 1,570 crore. The project is being implemented by the Karnataka Power Corporation (KPCL).

Power is transmitted to Bengaluru from thermal stations in Ballari, Raichur, and other parts of the country. The Yelahanka plant is touted to be a useful resource to manage any sudden requirement and peak load management by enabling easy start and stop of supply.

The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) had made certain recommendations for the Yelahanka plant. The board recommended to the KPCL that the plant should have a zero liquid discharge effluent treatment plant with reverse osmosis (RO) and multiple effect evaporation (MEE). The KSPCB has not yet given approval for operations of the plant.