Thermal plant taken up by TSGenco without yielding to pressure of private sector: CM

Chief Minister visits the construction site of the 4,000 MW Yadadri Thermal Power Station project at Damaracherla in Nalgonda district

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has said that the Telangana government had given nod to construction of 4,000 MW Yadadri Thermal Power Station to State-owned Generation Corporation (TSGenco) without yielding to pressure from private corporate lobby in the interest of farmers and general public.

During a visit to the construction site of the project at Damaracherla in Nalgonda district on Monday, Mr. Rao asked the Energy Minister G. Jagdish Reddy, TSGenco chairman and managing director D. Prabhakar Rao and officials of BHEL which is executing the project to complete works as early as possible.

The 5x400 MW ultra mega power project was scheduled for commissioning in four phases: Unit 1 - September 2023; Unit 2 - December 2023; Unit 3 - March 2024 and Unit 4 - June 2024. It was taken up with a total project of ₹ 29,965 crore. The loan component comprised ₹ 16,070 crore from Rural Electrification Corporation and ₹ 4,009 crore from Power Finance Corporation. The expenditure incurred till date was ₹ 18,443 crore.

Mr. Rao visited the project site in two helicopters with Ministers, elected representatives and officials. He first saw the construction works from the twelfth floor of the 82-metre-tall boiler at Unit 2. He was briefed by power and BHEL officials.

A release said Mr. Rao instructed the officials to ensure buffer stock of coal for a minimum of 30 days for smooth functioning of the plant when commissioned. They must work with a vision in the matter of coal stock and operational issues.

Mr. Rao wanted power connectivity from the plant to Hyderabad and rest of the State. He enquired from officials the requirement of coal and water on daily basis. The water requirement could be met from river Krishna. The project was conceived in Nalgonda district keeping in view the employment opportunities for local population and location of Krishnapatnam Port and Addanki highway for transportation of imported coal.

He also sought construction of a township in the project for 10,000 workforce. About one hundred acres should be acquired for construction of quarters to workers and other infrastructure. Another fifty acres should be allotted to a sports complex. The township should include a supermarket, commercial complex, club house, hospital, school, auditorium and multiplex.