Advisory Group meets to expedite ongoing generation projects: A host of Issues discussed

The Advisory Group, under the Chairmanship of the Union Power Minister, Sushilkumar Shinde, set up to expedite the commissioning of under-construction power generation projects, held its 9th meeting on July 26, 2010, at the Shram Shakti Bhawan. A brief account of the discussions that took place during the said meeting has been flagged below:: 

 The officials of the power ministry informed that the Visa problem has been partially resolved for the power projects awarded to foreign contractors, especially, the Chinese. It was further informed during the meeting that for bringing more Chinese personnel over the prescribed number, special permission can also be taken by power developers.

The Minister of State for Power, Bharatsingh Solanki, asked NHPC to prepare and furnish the revised schedule and a detailed action plan for the Teesta Low Dam-III, IV and Chamera-III HEPs to the Group.

 Solanki also asked NHPC and its equipments supplier, BHEL, to settle the issues between the two and prepare a mutually agreeable an action plan for equipment supplies to the Nimoo Bazgo and Chutak HEPs.

 Further, Solanki asked the equipment supplier for the 400 MW Maheshwar HEP, BHEL, to facilitate a discussion between PFC and the project developer, Maheshwar Hydel Power Corporation Limited, so that the issue of paucity of funds for wrapping-up the balance 10% project-construction work can be removed. 

 The former power secretary, D V Kapur, suggested that while stipulating the capacity addition targets for the Five Year Plans, it must be ensured that 20 % of the planned capacity be commissioned every year and bunching of capacity towards last year of the plan period must be avoided, as this issue is happening in the achievement of the capacity addition target in the current Plan. He also emphasized that detailed milestones for projects likely to be commissioned during 12th Plan must be prepared well in advance to avoid delays.

It was emphasized during the meeting that the construction of boundary walls should be expedited to avoid the occurrence of thefts at Damodar Valley Corporation's (DVC) 1,000 MW Durgapur Steel thermal power project (TPP) in West Bengal.