Power-deficit Maharashtra has firmed up plans to generate and supply a whopping 17,000 MW of additional power in next three to five years.
"An estimated addition of 17,000 MW of power supply is on the cards in the state. This will start coming in from 2009 and the entire addition will come into place by 2012," Ajay Mehta, MD, Mahagenco said on Saturday.
Mehta said while most of the additional capacity will come from projects within the state, Maharashtra will get its share from other projects outside the state, like 2,000 MW from Sasan and Mundra Ultra Mega Power Projects.
During the period, the central sector will come up with 2,800 MW plant, while the state sector will add 4,400 MW of power through generation within the state, he said.
Mehta said the state currently generates 6,000-7,000 MW of power against the installed capacity of 9,600 MW. Peak-hour deficit often goes up to 4,500 to 5,000 MW.
Within the state sector two 250 MW-plants are coming up at Parli and Paras, a 500 MW-plant in Khapherkheda and a 1,000 MW one at Bhusawal.
Mehta said all these projects were expected to be operational by 2009-10. He said the state also plans to build up three projects on super critical technology of 800 MW each - two in Karadi near Nagpur and the third at Chandrapur.
Meanwhile, the state has already floated tenders under Case-I bidding for a 1,600 MW plant. A fresh tender for two other 800 MW plants under Case-II bidding will be floated in another 15 days.
On the Dabhol project, Mehta said the entire 2,000 MW capacity will be operational by the end of 2007. On the demand side, Mehta said buoyed by increasing industrial activity, coupled with sky rocketing demand from agriculture and domestic sectors, the state has witnessed power shortage.
"Every year, we add an additional three lakh domestic household connections and one lakh agricultural pumps are installed resulting in 1,000 MW of additional demand each year," he said, adding there was hardly any capacity addition in the last decade.
On the distribution front, he said the state may come out with more public-private partnerships replicating the Bhiwandi model, where the state entrusted distribution to Torrent Power.
