NTPC to add 10, 000 mw in southern states by 2017.

NTPC Ltd, the state owned power generation major, plans to create capacities to generate about 10,000 megawatt (mw) in the southern states by 2017.

The public sector company is already a big player in southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. The company contributes over 22% of power to the southern market with an existing capacity of about 5,960 mw.

“We are creating facilities to expand the power generation capacity from the existing 5,960 mw to about 7,950 mw by the end of the 11th Plan period. Eventually by the end of the 12th Plan, the total capacity would be about 16,300 mw,” Ambarish Nath Dave, regional executive director (South), said.

NTPC currently has three power plants in the South and another unit in Orissa too supplies power to southern markets.

NTPC’s Ramagundam unit in Andhra Pradesh generates about 2,600 mw, while Simhadri, another station in the state, generates about 1,000 mw. The Rajiv Gandhi Combined Cycle Power Plant (RGCCPP) in Kayamkulam generates about 350 mw. The Talcher-Kaniha unit in Orissa generates about 2,000 mw.

Currently, the company is preparing to add about 1,000 mw at Simhadri unit and another 1,000 mw at a unit in Vallur, Tamil Nadu. The expansion planned for 12th Plan includes setting up of 2,400 mw at Kudgi in Karnataka, 2,000 mw in Marakkanam, additional 1,950 mw at the RGCCPP in Kayamkulam, about 500 mw of wind energy in Karnataka, 500 mw in Vallur and 1,000 mw in Ramagundam Stage IV unit.

“The capital expenditure plans are still being finalised for several units. But for Simhadri’s 1,000 mw, the investment would be about Rs 5,038 crore, the unit in Vallur would require about Rs 5,552 crore and the Kudgi unit would need about Rs 16,910 crore. The investment plans are being prepared,” Dave said.

The company is also setting up a 30 mw solar power unit in Ramagundam. NTPC’s all-India plan for solar energy is about 300 mw.