National Thermal Power Corp likely to delay implementing its 4,000 MW super critical thermal power project in Bijapur district

Public sector power major National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) is likely to delay implementing its 4,000 mw super critical thermal power project in Bijapur district, with local farmers demanding more compensation in return for their agricultural land, official sources said.

The state government has fixed Rs 4.75 lakh per acre for dry land and Rs 6 lakh for wet land, but the farmers are demanding Rs 10-12 lakh per acre, an official with the state energy department told FE requesting anonymity.

Talking to FE, Shobha Karandlaje, state minister for energy, said the government is expected to handover the land to NTPC in another three months. However she declined to comment over the difference in the land prices fixed by the government and demanded by the farmers.

NTPC has signed an MoU with the Karnataka government and Power Company of Karnataka (PCKL), a special purpose vehicle responsible for adding power capacity.in the state, to set up the coal-based mega thermal power plant in Kudgi village in Bijapur district in January 2009. The project was designed to be implemented in two stages. The NTPC had said it would set up three power stations (TPS), each with a capacity of 800 mw in the first phase and two TPS with 800 mw each in the second phase. The government has agreed for 5.2 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of water allocation from Almatti dam. It was said the first phase would be commissioned by 2012.

But looking at the current trend, the officials said the project will be delayed as the farmers are dragging their feet on handing over their lands. A top official with Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB), the industrial land acquiring authority, said the department is trying to acquire 1,900 acre in the first phase, which is required toset up the main plant. The remaining 1,100 acre required for the ash pond will be acquired later. The land parcels were identified in four villages like Kudgi, Telgi, Gulasanghi and Masoothi.

The power generated through the proposed NTPC plant will be shared by the beneficieries through the central grid. As the host state—Karnataka—has claimed 80% of the power generation but it was believed that the government would allot the state around 40-50% from the proposed plant..