Plagued with severe electricity crunch, Maharashtra Cabinet on Tuesday gave nod to four new power projects.
The projects that got approval are the 1040MW Uran expansion project, 1400MW Talegaon-Dabhade power project (both gas-based) and the 500MW Khaperkheda thermal power project besides a joint venture of Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh electricity boards.
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Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh told reporters in Mumbai that the Cabinet also approved participation of urban and district cooperative banks in funding new projects.
According to Deshmukh, the state has also entered into power purchase agreements worth nearly 2000 MW to maintain the competitive edge of the state on industrial front.
Energy Minister Dilip Valse-Patil said the Uran expansion and the Talegaon-Dabhade gas-based power projects would require a funding of Rs 12000 crore (Rs 120 billion), of which 80 per cent will be financed by the Power Finance Corporation of India Ltd while the rest will be financed by the state.
Deshmukh, along with a delegation, had recently met Union Power Minister P M Sayeed and other officials of the ministry to augment power supply from the central sector.
The issue of supply of natural gas to Uran and Talegaon-Dabhade power projects was also discussed in the meeting.
