LUCKNOW: On Thursday, AK Sharma, the energy minister, visited the Jawaharpur thermal power plant in Etah. At a total cost of ₹12,320 crore, the plant is intended to produce 1320 MW of power from two units, each with a capacity of 660 MW. It is estimated that the cost of energy produced is ₹4.22 per unit.
The plant’s first unit has successfully synchronized, and this month is anticipated to see the start of commercial electricity generation. The project’s ash duct, railway siding linkage, conveyor belt, generator, cooling tower, control room, and other facilities were among the critical areas the energy minister inspected. After more than three hours at the inspection site, he left saying that he was perfectly satisfied with the plant’s readiness. In February 2024, the plant’s second unit is expected to be put into service.
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The minister emphasized the importance of putting safety procedures in place and thanked the cops, personnel, and workers for their tireless work. He said that the two 660 MW plants will allow the state of Uttar Pradesh to increase its capacity for producing thermal power, along with a few smaller facilities.
In the upcoming months, Obra ‘C,’ which is also prepared for production, will produce 660 MW in addition to the 1320 MW from the Jawaharpur facility. The minister also mentioned that the Panki and Harduaganj facilities, which will add about 2480 MW to the state’s electricity capacity, are preparing for commercial production.
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Sharma stated that MOUs and agreements had been inked with NTPC to build large-scale thermal power projects. This comprises one 660 MW unit at Meja in cooperation with NTPC, two 800 MW units at Anpara, and two 800 MW units at the Obra “D” site.
In addition, he revealed that the state government is working on 6800 MW of solar energy producing projects. In addition, there are plans to establish more than 12,000 MW of pump storage projects in order to facilitate the complete operation of solar energy plants.
The combined goal of these projects is to increase Uttar Pradesh’s energy output by over twofold. Sharma confirmed that the state is heading toward energy generation self-sufficiency and would soon be among the states providing power to its citizens around-the-clock.