Bhupesh Baghel Lays Foundation Stone Of Thermal Project In Chhattisgarh

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday laid the foundation stone for a modern thermal power plant with 1320 MW capacity in the state's Korba district.

Mr Baghel announced that the proposed power plant will be named after former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

The chief minister dedicated and laid the foundation stone for various projects worth more than Rs 13,356 crore during an event held at Ghantaghar ground Korba.

As per an official statement, the new thermal power project in Korba (west) will have two units of 660 MW each with new-age super critical technology.

The plant will be set up at an estimated cost of Rs 12,915 crore, it said.

Apart from the power plant, Mr Baghel also laid the foundation stone for a new building of Lt Bisahu Das Mahant Memorial Medical College Korba, which will be built at the cost of Rs 325 crore.

"Korba has been the energy capital since Chhattisgarh was part of Madhya Pradesh. Power generation has been underway in the district since the country's first prime minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru laid the foundation stone for the first thermal power plant here in 1957," the chief minister said, extending his wishes to the people of Korba and state.

The environment clearance and permission for supply of coal have been acquired for the 1320 MW project, he said.

The plant is expected to get commissioned in 2029-2030, but considering the pace at which its procedures are being carried out, it will begin operations before 2028, he said.

Asserting that the power requirement of the state and the country has increased significantly, Bhupesh Baghel said, "Around 4100 MW power was required during peak hours in Chhattisgarh around five years ago, and this has now increased to 5800 MW. The power consumption has increased by 1700 MW in 4.5 years." While the average per person power consumption in the country is 1255 units, the same in Chhattisgarh is 2211 units, which is highest in the country, he said.

Forty-two lakh families in the state have been availing the benefit of the half electricity bill scheme on consumption up to 400 units and by this way, the state government has so far given a subsidy of Rs 4,105 crore, the chief minister said.

Similarly, farmers have been given power subsidy to the tune of Rs 12,397 crore in the last four and half years, he said.

As of now, around 2928 MW power is being generated in Chhattisgarh by state-run generation units, and with the addition of the new plant, the power generation capacity of the Chhattisgarh State Power Generation Company Ltd (CSPGCL) will increase to 4300 MW, he said.

The state government is also working towards hydro-power generation and has earmarked five sites (dams and reservoirs) for such projects, Mr Baghel said.

While one of the projects will be developed by the state government, the remaining four will be given to private players, he said, adding that these projects will have a capacity of more than 7000 MW.

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