Assam To Invest Rs 1000 Cr In Ghatampur Power Project In UP

The Assam government will be investing Rs 1,000 crore in the Ghatampur Power Project in Uttar Pradesh. This project will give the state 400-megawatt of power once it is operational. The Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is visiting UP on 31 January to meet the UP CM Yogi Adityanath. 

The Centre has a 51 per cent share in the project, whereas the UP government has 49 per cent. Assam will be given 20 per cent share in the project from the UP’s share.

The Assam CM Sarma stated about the project, “There has been a steep utilisation of power in the state which has shot for a daily average usage of 1,900 MW to 2,200 MW per day and is likely to increase to 3,200 MW soon. To tide over the crisis, we at this moment are purchasing power at the rate of Rs 12 per unit from the national grid.” 

Sarma further added, “With several industries coming up in the state and the limitation of the state for energy generation due to the dearth of hydro or thermal avenues we now need to look either on purchasing power or investing in the power production area.”

Currently under construction in Kanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, the Ghatampur thermal power plant is a 1,980 MW super-critical coal-fired power project. The project is being developed by Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power (NUPPL), which is a joint venture between Neyveli Lignite Corporation with 51 per cent shares and Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam (UPRVUNL) with 49 per cent shares. 

If the official estimates are to be believed, the investment expected in this project would be around Rs 17,237 crore. According to information, this coal based plant will be developed in three phases of 660 MW each. Each unit will be equipped with a super-critical, forced-circulation, and pulverized-firing boiler, a 3,000rpm multi-cylinder reheat condensing turbine generator and a natural draft cooling tower.

The total water requirement for the plant will be approximately 6,275m³/hr, which will be met through water from the West Allahabad Branch Canal of the Ganga River, near Bidhnu Kasba village. Ash disposal will be made across 427 acres of land, while 806 acres will be used for the raw water reservoir and other ancillary facilities.