R-Infra's Samalkot & GMR Energy's Chandrapur Expansion projects bag MoEF clearance

The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has accorded environmental clearance to Reliance Infrastructure Limited`s 1,200 MW combined cycle power plant (CCPP) in the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. This plant would come up as as expansion to the existing 220 MW Samalkot CCPP, which has been recently taken over by Reliance Power. The company possesses a total of 216.36 acres of land, of which 61 acres are required for the expansion project. Water requirement of the project, at 16.7 cusecs, would be sourced from the Dowlaiswaram Barrage, on the Godavari river, while gas requirements, pegged at 6.5 MMSCM/day, would be sourced from Reliance Industries Limited's KG D-6 block. Pertinently, there are no national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, tiger/elephant/ biosphere reserves, heritage sites, etc., within 10 km distance of the plant site. The project is expected to cost Rs 4,200 crore.
 Alongside, the ministry has cleared the 300 MW expansion of the existing 300 MW Chandrapur coal-based thermal power plant (TPP) belonging to  Emco Energy Limited-- a subsidiary of GMR Energy-- in the Chandrapur district of Maharashtra. The land requirement for the project is estimated to be 114 hectares, while the water requirement, of 9.02 cusec, will be sourced from the Wardha river. Meanwhile, the company has obtained coal linkage for meeting the feedstock requirements of the TPP. Total cost of the project is estimated to be Rs 1,500 crore. Pertinently, there are no national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, biosphere, tiger reserves or heritage sites within a 10 km radius of the plant.