NTPC hopeful of starting Katwa thermal project in few months...

 

Power major NTPC has expressed the hope that construction of the 1,320-Mw Katwa thermal power plant in the West Bengal would begin construction in a few months.

NTPC Chairman Arup Roychowdhury, who met state's power minister Manish Gupta today, indicated that the company hoped to get the board's nod for the project by February-March.

Gupta, who described the meeting as a courtesy call, said that NTPC assured to begin construction of the plant soon.

Coal linkage was one of the issues before the power major. The captive coal block meant for the project was deallocated by the coal ministry. The state power department would place a proposal to offer coal linkage from its captive blocks before the Cabinet for its consideration in February, Gupta said.

NTPC proposed to construct two thermal units of 660 Mw on 557 acres which it has in its possession. NTPC has also received positive feedback from land owners for 150 acres it required for the ash pond.

A few months ago, NTPC had said that unless 150 acres was not arranged by the state government it was not possible to go ahead with the project.

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Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board asks Essar to shut down Singrauli plant...

 

Essar Energy’s Mahan-I 600MW coal-fired power plant in Singrauli district has been ordered to stop all operations by the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB).

During the monsoons in September last, MPPCB’s regional office in Singrauli reported that large quantities of fly ash — an effluent discharged during the combustion of coal — was flowing from the plant into the Garha stream and surrounding areas. In reply to a notice sent to Essars’s local subsidiary — Essar Power MP Limited — the company said that a new ash dyke to store the ash was under construction and that illegal discharge of ash outside the factory had taken place due to unexpectedly heavy rainfall.

Not satisfied with their response, the MPPCB ordered it to stop all operations on January 13. The company has also been asked to build a permanent ash dyke, install a continuous ambient air monitoring station, a sewage treatment plant and a tree plantation. Only on completion of these works can the company apply for permission to restart operations.

Essar has two 600MW power plants in Mahan. While Mahan-I started Commercial Operations in April, 2013, Mahan-II is under construction. Both plants intend to draw coal from the Mahan coal block, which has proven reserves of 150 tonnes of coal, where mining has not yet started as clearances have not yet been granted.

The forest in Mahan is home to 14,000 people, including Agria, Kol, Khairwar, Gond and Panika tribes. Objections were raised by the Union Ministries of Environment and Forests and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs over endangering biodiversity and violation of forest rights

Despite this, the Rs. 6,500 crore joint venture of Essar and Hindalco to mine in Mahan was granted clearance due to “huge exposure to nationalised banks.”

Greenpeace’s Media Officer in Singrauli, Avinash Chanchal told that the factory continues to violate rules. “Their ash dyke is just across the road from a settlement. It poisons the water table and pollutes the air causing lung problems.”

Greenpeace and the Mahan Sangharsh Samiti hoisted a banner over Essar’s offices in Mumbai last week which read “We Kill Forests.”

Essar House Limited filed a defamation suit against the activists on Monday. While company sources said it is for Rs. 500 crore, Greenpeace said it was a Rs. 1,000 crore suit.

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South Africa offers coal to Punjab for thermal plants...

 

South Africa has extended support to the Punjab government for providing coal for its thermal plants, which would go a long way in making it a power surplus state.

France K Morule, South Africa's High Commissioner to India, told mediapersons that he had met with Punjab governor Shivraj Patil and CM Parkash Singh Badal on Monday and held talks with them regarding the forthcoming tie-ups with the state.

He said there were surplus coal deposits in South Africa and a regular coal linkage would be established with Punjab for its thermal plants. "We are a mineral rich country and would certainly like to have an agreement with Punjab on this, to which the chief minister has readily agreed," he added.

He was accompanied by a renowned entrepreneur, Vikramjit Singh Sahney, who is the President of SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Consul, Republic of South Africa for Northern India.

"We are here to promote trade investments, tourism and cultural exchange with Punjab as there are historical bonds between the two countries," said Morule. He added that South Africa relates to India in many ways and people there relate a lot to the Indian history.

Morule said in the meetings it was decided to have tie-ups for two food processing plants in the state. He said soon a study team would be sent from South Africa to study viability in the Kinnow processing sector of the state.

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Solar Plant in BHEL to be Commissioned in 2 Months...

 

The 5 MW solar power plant being set up at the Boiler Auxiliary Plant (BAP), attached to the BHEL, at Ranipet, would be commissioned in the next two months, executive director of the plant Veeraraghavan said.

He said this while addressing a gathering on  Republic Day on Sunday.  Veeraraghavan said that the BHEL at Ranipet had commissioned the first ammonia gas conditioning System at TISCO, Jojobera, in collaboration with Heavy Water Board (HWB), Mumbai. In association with the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), the BAP developed a brand new technology for simultaneous extraction of polluting sulphur oxide and nitrous oxide from boiler flue gas. This technology was unveiled by the President of India on 15 November, 2013, he added.

The official noted that five Quality Circles of BHEL Ranipet had won gold medals in quality conventions held in Madurai, Chennai and Kolkata between September 2013 and December 2013.

Further, he said, 365 employees of the plant had registered as eye donors in an eye donation camp held by the BAP. The BAP had also bagged an order for supply of a 4000- cubic metre Water Treatment Plant from OPAL, Dahej. This was the largest capacity pre-treatment system order that BHEL Ranipet had bagged so far, he said.

As part of Corporate Social Responsibility, projects worth `35 lakhs were planned by the BAP for this year that included constructing a toilet and associated facilities for the vendors at the weekly Wednesday market in the township, building compound wall and providing a reverse osmosis drinking water facility for the Government Girls Higher Secondary School at Sholingur and constructing a kitchen with store room for the midday meal scheme at SRK- BHEL School.

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