Wednesday, July 09, 2014: Goverment-led power producer NTPC has plans to set up a 300-MW solar park in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh courtesy, competitive bidding so that the state is able to avail solar energy at a low tariff.
Managing Director and NTPC Chairman Arup Roy Choudhury informed this to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu during a meeting. Naidu requested NTPC to hasten the work on the proposed 4,000 MW plant at Pudimadaka in Visakhapatnam district.
The Principal Secretary (Industries) was directed to finalise a suitable site within 15 days for the reason that the PSU can go ahead with setting up of the project, as per an official release.
The Chief Minister also urged the ‘Maharatna’ company to build up 15-day coal stock at NTPC’s thermal plant at Simhadri in Visakhapatnam, the release said.
Choudhury purported that- about 200 MW from NTPC Jhajjar (Haryana) and 100 MW from NTPC Barh (Bihar) can be made available to the State on an urgent level so as to tide over electricity shortage.
The Chief Minister directed Energy Department to avail power from those projects by entering into PPAs. It was also decided to avail power from NTPC Farakka (West Bengal) on a long-term basis, a press statement said. Senior NTPC members alongwith Andhra Pradesh Goverment officials served as the august audience at the meeting.
