NEW DELHI: Stating that rapid economic growth and industrialisation were the major challenges that need to be met head on, Union Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said power generation capacity addition during the XI Plan would be about 74,000 MW, almost close to the original target of 78,577 MW.

Thermal projects of more than 14,000 MW, at an estimated investment of Rs 70,000 crore, are embroiled in power play. The Chhattisgarh Government and Union Ministries for Power and Coal are ranged against Union Ministry for Environment & Forest for refusing clearances and putting the projects on hold.

If it wasn't for frenetic industrial activity underway in the backwaters of Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Raman Singh's dreams would sound utopian. But the clanging of metal and bright sparks coming out from a welder's torch at the third unit of the 1,620-mw Lanco Amarkantak power plant under construction just off the Korba-Champa highway are a clear pointer to changing times.

People and planet are the two additional Ps that keep CFOs busy, along with the third P of profit, and Gopal Mahadevan, CFO, Thermax India, would ideally like to be applauded for his efforts on the financial front.

Punjab offers incentive of 30 per cent power to be sold as merchant power

Twenty-one top notch power companies have shown keen interest in Punjab

Lack Of Clarity On Allocation Of Captive Coal Blocks To Chhattisgarh Project

THE last date for submission of requests for qualification for the first ultra mega power project (UMPP) on offer this fiscal has been extended by a couple of months, due to a lack of clarity on the allocation of captive coal blocks to the project.

P B Jayakumar & Raghavendra Kamath / Mumbai May 1, 2010, 1:40 IST

The Hiranandani Group, one of the largest privately-held real estate developers, is foraying into power generation in a big way. The group is setting up a 2,500-Mw gas-based power project at a location near Pune.

Bangalore: Karnataka, which has been facing a power shortage for the past two years, will have four new gas-based power projects along the route of the Dabhol-Bangalore gas pipeline being executed by Gas Authority of India Ltd.

The State cabinet on Thursday gave its nod to prepare a detailed project report to set up three gas-based power generation plants with 700 MW capacity each along the proposed Dabhol-Bidadi gas pipeline project route.

Shimla: With the 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri project running in full swing and 10 major projects in hand, the Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) now plans to diversify into solar and wind power. It will also explore the possibility of setting up nuclear power plants in joint venture.