The Uttar Pradesh government will set up a 1,600 megawatt (mw) thermal power plant in Sonbhadra district of the state.
The proposed coal-fired power plant ‘Anpara E’ will entail in investment of more than Rs 18,600 crore, according to UP Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (UPRVUNL) chairman Ashish Kumar Goel.
The project will be developed by Meja Utpadan Nigam Limited, a joint venture of NTPC and UPRVUNL.
This comes at a time when the central government is reportedly planning got provide an easy funding channel to thermal power plants following a spurt in domestic electricity demand.
Meanwhile, the UPRVUNL is also looking at a speedier commissioning of the first phase of two separate thermal power plants namely Obra C (2×660 mw) and Jawaharpur (2×660 mw) in Sonbhadra and Etah districts respectively.
At the same time, UP is taking steps for the safe disposal of fly-ash generated at the thermal plants from the burning of coal. Fly-ash is used in making roads, bricks, concrete blocks, cement etc.
Moreover, the Yogi Adityanath government in UP is targetting solar energy generation of 25,000 mw to ramp up a robust green energy portfolio going forward.
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Solar energy is expected to help the state power utilities to pare their mounting financial losses, which are estimated at Rs 46 crore per day on account for line-losses, subsidised power and sub-optimal bill realisation.