First unit of 2,400 MW Power Plant at Jharsuguda inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik
Sterlite Energy Limited, a subsidiary of London-listed Vedanta Resources Plc, has commissioned the first unit of its 2,400 MW independent power plant in Orissa.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the unit of 600 MW at Jharsuguda, 374 km from state capital .
The Vedanta group has invested about Rs.10,500 crore for this project that will be among the largest private initiatives in power sector in , he said.
“The coal-fired independent thermal power plant is the first of its kind in private sector in the state with its state of the art technology,” he said.
The plant has employed many environment friendly features, including high contracted slurry disposal (HCSD) with very low consumption of water as compared to wet slurry system, the official said.
The independent power plant would be a zero effluent discharge plant with provision for water circulation and rain water harvesting, he said.
Coal, the raw material for the plant, will be sourced from near by IB Valley coalfield. Power produced from the plant’s first unit will be given to Orissa at a cheap rate, he said.
Vedanta Aluminium has already set-up its refinery at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district on the basis of assurance from the state government for bauxite. Currently Vedanta is operating the refinery by sourcing bauxite from outside the state, incurring losses to both company as well as the state. Vedanta expects Government of Orissa to provide bauxite for smooth operation of its plant.
The Independent Power Plant is the first of its kind in private sector in Orissa with its state of the art technology. A hybrid ESP with fabric filter is being deployed for the first time in an Indian Power Plant to achieve lowest emission standards.
The IPP has dual LP flow steam turbine and four 150 meter high natural draft cooling towers, among the largest in the country. The IPP has also employed many environment friendly features, including, among others, high contracted slurry disposal (HCSD) with very low consumption of water as compared to wet slurry system.
The IPP would be a zero effluent discharge plant with provision for water circulation and rain water harvesting. Coal, the raw material for the IPP will be sourced from IB Valley coalfield. Power produced from the IPP’s first unit will be given to Orissa at a cheaper rate.
Speaking on the occasion, Naba Kishore Das, MLA Jharsuguda, was apprehensive that without having the local bauxite, existence of the Vedanta Aluminum Plant could be at stake, which will have an adverse effect on the livelihood of thousands of local people. He hoped that the state government would be morally obliged to provide bauxite on priority basis to make Vedanta’s plant sustainable.
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