Yelahanka gas plant and Bidadi waste-to-energy plant likely to be inaugurated on September 24 

Since April this year, multiple inauguration dates have been announced for the Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. (KPCL) combined cycle gas plant in Yelahanka and the waste-to-energy plant in Bidadi. However, the inauguration has still not taken place and September 24 has now been finalised as the likely day for commissioning. 

Since April this year, multiple inauguration dates have been announced for the Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. (KPCL) combined cycle gas plant in Yelahanka and the waste-to-energy plant in Bidadi. However, the inauguration has still not taken place and September 24 has now been finalised as the likely day for commissioning. 

Trial runs have been going on in the 370-Megawatt (MW) capacity gas plant since March and by the end of July, it was expected to produce power up to its total capacity. The first of its kind, a 11.5 MW capacity waste-to-energy plant was also announced to be ready for commissioning by August by Energy Minister K.J. George.  

Senior officials say that they do not want to hurry the commissioning date and ensure each component is working well before inauguration. 

“When it comes to the gas plant, there are two cycles and each of them have to be taken up sequentially and tested. We must log the consistency of its functionality over two days, then seven days and then 20 days. We need to follow these sequences. Power production has been going on for the last 20 to 30 days in both plants. We want to ensure that it is properly commissioned so that we do not face problems in future,” an official explained. 

However, according to sources in the Energy Minister’s office, the commissioning is being delayed due to the non-availability of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to inaugurate both plants. “The plants are functioning well and we are just waiting for the Chief Minister’s dates. Earlier, September 18 was fixed as the commissioning date and it was postponed to September 20. As of now, September 24 is looking like the tentative date for inauguration,” the source said. 

It is noteworthy that this is not the first time that the non-availability of Ministers’ appointments have kept the State government from inaugurating completed projects. While the inauguration of the 5.12-km-long double-decker flyover built to ease traffic congestion at Silk Board was awaiting the appointments of Mr. Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, the Aam Aadmi Party called out the government in July first week.  

The leaders said that if the government did not inaugurate the flyover, then they along with the traffic-affected public, would force it open. In less than 10 days after the warning, the flyover was thrown open to public on July 17 by Mr. Shivakumar.