Cabinet approves UP's 1,980-mw Ghatampur thermal power project

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Wednesday approved setting up of 1,980-mw Ghatampur thermal power project at an estimated cost of Rs 17,237.8 crore in Uttar Pradesh.

"The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs... has given its approval for installation of Ghatampur Thermal Power Project (GTPS) of 1,980 mw (3 X 660 MW) capacity through a joint venture company named Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power Ltd (NUPPL) formed jointly by Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) and Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam (UPRVUNL)," Coal Ministry said in a statement.

The project will be implemented at an estimated cost of Rs 17,237.8 crore, including interest during construction component of Rs 3,202.42 crore, the statement said. The commissioning of units 1, 2 and 3 will be 52, 58 and 64 months, respectively, from the starting date.

The energy generated by GTPS, which is about 14,000 MU per annum, will be mainly supplied to Uttar Pradesh, it said, adding that the benefits of this generation will be available in the 13th Five-Year Plan.

The Coal Ministry had allotted Pachwara south coal block in Jharkhand for meeting coal requirements of the project. Meanwhile, state-owned PTC India has launched two mobile applications to provide market information like power prices and trends, and help participants place error-free bids on electricity exchanges.

"PTC India...has launched two new digital initiatives Bijli Bazaar and 'Bijli Vyapar' at its annual Day held on July 15, 2016, which primarily aim to transform one's day-to -day engagement with the Indian electricity market," the company said in a statement.

'Bijli Bazaar', an information dissemination portal, available on web at www.bijlibazaar.in, will provide important information to citizens, market participants and government stakeholders on power market prices, volumes, trends and demand and supply. It also provides information to open access-consumers on cost savings they can achieve by procuring power through open access. The initiative is also available as a mobile application at present only for Android mobile users and shortly will be launched for Apple mobile users.

The other initiative 'Bijli Vyapar', a utilitarian power trading tool, available on Android mobile phones and shortly on Apple mobile phones, is an application serving market participants trading power on the power exchanges.

Through this mobile application, Open Access users (those trading through PTC India) can place their bids on power exchange for sale and purchase of power through their mobile phones within a few clicks.