The state power department’s supercritical thermal power plant at Sagardighi, in Murshidabad, of 660 MW will start operation from February-March next year.
“The Sagardighi thermal power plant is coming up with an investment of Rs 4,567 crore. Once the unit starts operation, we will have surplus power and will be in a position to supply power to neighbouring state Assam,” state Power minister Aroop Biswas said at the state Assembly on Wednesday.
The average per day power requirement of Bengal is 5,000 to 5,500 MW except on festival or on extreme summer days. The existing thermal generation in the state is 7,010 MW, while the existing solar power generation is 195 MW and the existing hydel power generation is 2316 MW.
Hence, the total production in the state stands at 9,521 MW which is already surplus as per the state’s requirement. On June 16, the requirement had shot up to 9,200 MW. The upcoming projects in thermal will additionally generate 1,060 MW. In solar, it will be 1,760 MW and in hydel, it will be 1,348 MW.
Biswas, during the question answer session at the state Assembly, said that the power tariff in Bengal is presently Rs 7.12 paisa per unit which is less in comparison to most BJP-ruled states like Assam that charges Rs 8.02 per unit, Maharashtra Rs 8.09 per unit, and Uttar Pradesh Rs 7.53.
The power tariff for Karnataka is Rs 8.7, Tamil Nadu Rs 8.35, Bihar Rs 8.30, Rajasthan Rs 7.89, Delhi Rs 7.40 Meghalaya Rs 7.61, all higher than Bengal.
The minister said that Rs 3,600 crore have been spent by the state government for modernisation of various power sub stations in the state.