Reliance Energy on 26 September 2006,
backed out of signing an MoU with the Orissa government for its proposed 12,000
MW power unit (Phase I) at Hirma in Jharsuguda district of Orissa even though
the 10 other IPPs signed the MoUs with the state government.
The MoU with REL could not be signed
due to conditions related to the clearance of over Rs.2,000 crore of dues owed
by three Reliance (Anil Ambani)-owned distribution firms to Grid Corporation of
Orissa (Gridco).
The Orissa Electricity Regulatory
Commission (OERC) has directed REL to pay the dues in 20 installments over a
period of 10 years and insisted on the inclusion of a clause in the MoU which
stipulated that the company could not go in for land acquisition for the project
unless it cleared the dues.
The 10 IPPs which signed the MoUs
include:
| Company |
Capacity
(MW) |
Cost
(Rs.crore) |
Location |
| KVK
Nilachal Power |
600 |
2,580 |
Angul/Dhenkanal |
| Monnet
Ispat Energy |
600 |
2,852 |
Angul |
| Visa
Power |
1,000 |
3,698 |
Angul |
| CESC |
1,000 |
4042 |
Neulpoi
(Dhenkanal) |
| Tata
Power Co |
1,000 |
4,348 |
Naraj/Marthapur
(Cuttak) |
| Essar
power |
1,000 |
4,500 |
Talcher,
Angul |
| Jindal
Photo Films |
1,000 |
4,525 |
Pirasahi,
Angul |
| Lanco
Group |
1,320 |
4,500 |
Talcher,
Angul |
| Bhushan
Energy |
2,000 |
8,483 |
Angul |
| Sterlite
Energy |
2,400 |
7,481 |
Bharkhamudna,
Jharsuguda |
Phase I of Reliance 12,000 MW
comprised generation of 4,000 MW at an investment of Rs.16,236 crore and the
other 10 thermal power projects envisaged a combined generation capacity of
10,900 MW at an investment of Rs.45,000 crore.
Also See:
Orissa
government clears 11 thermal power projects (21-Sep-06)