The Chhattisgarh government today strongly opposed the coal import policy of the Centre saying any such scheme will lead to escalation of power tariff in the country. "The Centre's decision to start five ultra mega power projects (UMPPs) with imported coal would have a huge cost escalation in power production and ultimately the consumers will be burdened with higher tariff cost," Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board Chairman Rajib Ranjan told reporters here.
Out of the proposed eight UMPPs in the country, the Centre had recently decided to start five with coal imported from Indonesia, Australia and other countries, he said. For running five UMPPs, every year coal worth Rs 13,000 crore would be imported, Ranjan said. The cost of production for the UMPPs using local coal would be Rs 1.19 per unit whereas with the imported coal it would be Rs 2.44, he added. The chairman of the state-owned electricity board said he had written to the Union power secretary asking for a review of the decision.
The Centre had decided to set up eight UMPPs in the country, out of which five would be set up in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka with imported coal whereas three would be with pithead plants in Orissa and Jharkhand.
Out of the proposed eight UMPPs in the country, the Centre had recently decided to start five with coal imported from Indonesia, Australia and other countries, he said. For running five UMPPs, every year coal worth Rs 13,000 crore would be imported, Ranjan said. The cost of production for the UMPPs using local coal would be Rs 1.19 per unit whereas with the imported coal it would be Rs 2.44, he added. The chairman of the state-owned electricity board said he had written to the Union power secretary asking for a review of the decision.
The Centre had decided to set up eight UMPPs in the country, out of which five would be set up in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka with imported coal whereas three would be with pithead plants in Orissa and Jharkhand.
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