Work on Vallur power plant to begin tomorrow

T. Ramakrishnan

Union Minister Sushilkumar

Shinde will lay

the foundation

CHENNAI: The inauguration of work on the 1000-megawatt

power plant at Vallur near here, scheduled for Wednesday,
will mark the commencement of a number of power projects
estimated to cost Rs. 25,000 crore.

The Vallur project has been proposed by the Tamil Nadu

Electricity Board and the NTPC (formerly known as the
National Thermal Power Corporation) on a 50:50 basis.
Union Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde will lay the
foundation at a function at Vallur in the Ponneri taluk, in the
presence of the State Ministers Arcot N. Veerasamy and
M.K. Stalin.

Another joint venture project is a 1000-MW plant at Tuticorin,

which recently received the environmental clearance. The
work on the project, mooted by the National Lignite
Corporation and the Board, is likely to begin by March,
according to an official source.

Besides, one more 1000-MW plant will come up at Tuticorin.

It will be established by the TNEB on its own. A public
hearing, a pre-requisite for the environmental clearance, will
be held later this month.

One 500-MW additional unit each at the North Chennai

thermal power station, Ennore, and the Mettur thermal power
station have been proposed, besides the 500-MW pumped
storage hydro electric project at Kundah in the Nilgiris.

As for the unit at the North Chennai thermal power station,

bids have been floated. The deadline for submission of
documents has been extended till the end of this month. In
the case of the other two projects, environmental and forest
clearances are expected shortly.

On receipt of the approval, tenders will be floated. The

process will be completed by the end of the current financial
year or the early next year.

The capacity of all the projects is 4,500 MW. Considering an

investment of Rs. 6 crore per MW (including the
transmission and distribution cost), the total cost will be in
the range of Rs. 25,000 crore-Rs 27,000 crore, the official
said. The capacity of the Vallur plant is likely to be increased
to 1,500 MW.

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