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Indrani Dutta

KOLKATA, May 29

THE State-run West Bengal Power Development Corporation Ltd (WBPDCL) is planning to undertake a Rs 664-crore programme for renovation and modernisation (R&M) of its generation system.

WBPDCL, which inherited all the thermal units of the West Bengal State Electricity Board (WBSEB) as part of the State-level reforms, now owns four power stations, including the state-of-the art Bakreswar Thermal Power Plant (BKTPP). However, barring BKTPP and one unit of the Kolaghat Thermal Power Station (KTPS), most of the units under WBPDCL are old, with some having completed a quarter century of service.

Mr B.K. Pal, the Managing Director of WBPDCL, said it has been decided to fund some of the R&M programmes through the Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (APDRP) of the Power Ministry. "We have decided to tap the funds available under APDRP for the first three units of KTPS, which were built in 1984."

The scope of the work includes reducing the emission from the electrostatic precipitator to bring it line with the revised norms of the West Bengal Pollution Control Board. Pointing out that Rs 32 crore would be spent on this work alone, sources said the work, which has been awarded to the original equipment manufacturer, would be end by 2003.

Schemes for the R&M of the three remaining units are now being readied in-house and the Rs 45-crore work is proposed to be given to Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. The total cost of the entire project has been estimated at Rs 96 crore.

Referring to the Santaldih unit in Purulia, Mr Pal said this plant was commissioned in 1974 and the NTPC, which has been designated as the nodal agency for R&M of power plants, had suggested an elaborate exercise, which would have taken six years to implement. Instead, WBPDCL has opted for a short-term renovation of the four 120-MW units at this plant, which are now generating around 240 MW. This plan is expected to cost Rs 70 crore and is proposed to be funded from APDRP.

A Rs 400-crore plan has been chalked out in case of the four units of the Bandel Thermal Power Station in Hooghly district. Efforts are now on to transfer the Rs 335-crore loan, sanctioned by the Power Finance Corporation for this project in favour of the WBSEB to WBPDCL.

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