State to generate 427 MW power

BHUBANESWAR: With its plan to set up a 320 MW Sindol hydro power project in a joint venture with the National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) hitting hurdles, the State Government is hopeful of producing 427 MW more hydro power through mini units in the next five years. Energy Minister Atanu S Nayak told the Assembly on Tuesday to a question that 427 MW hydel power will be generated through at least 33 proposed mini hydel projects in the private sector. The statement came a day after the Assembly asked the State Government to set up a house committee to seek opinion of the people in Sambalpur, Sonepur and Boudh over the controversial Sindol project.The entire western region of the State had been witnessing large-scale resentment over the State’s bid to set up the Sindol project as a joint venture at an investment of ` 2,600 crore. Local people apprehend their houses and agricultural land would be submerged if the project came off.The Minister said State’s move to generate clean energy would continue. Of the 2,119 MW of hydel power being generated at present, the State-run Orissa Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC) alone produced 2,062 MW of power, with another 57 MW coming from three separate mini-hydel units, he said.Two Hyderabad-based private developers Meenakshi Power Limited (MPL) and Orissa Power Consortium Limited (OPCL) have set up three mini-hydel projects with installed capacity of 57 MW. While MPL had already established two mini-hydel units of 25 MW and 12 MW capacity respectively on Kolab, OPCL’s 20 MW generation unit became functional at left bank canal of Samal barrage on October 11, 2009.