JSW Energy said it has begun commercial operations of the 4th unit of 300 MW at its 1,200-MW thermal power plant in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, on October 16.
The company said the plant is the first project of over 1,000 MW to be set up in the State by the private sector post the Electricity Act of 2003 and that the entire 1,200 MW capacity was operational and supplying power to the State grid.
BARMAR PROJECT
JSW Energy said it had also resumed operations at its 2 X 135 MW Barmer power project on October 12 following the grant of ad hoc interim tariff by the Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission (RERC), using lignite from the Kapurdi reserves.
The lignite mining by Barmer Lignite Mining Co Ltd (BLMCL) has begun consequent to the transfer of the mining licence for Kapurdi reserves to BLMCL.
BLMCL is a joint venture between the Rajasthan State Mines & Minerals, a Government of Rajasthan enterprise and Rajasthan West Power, a wholly-owned subsidiary of JSW Energy. Rajasthan West Power holds 49 per cent stake and the Rajasthan State Mines 51 per cent in the association.
The joint venture is for developing the lignite mines in two contiguous blocks of Kapurdi and Jalipa in Barmar district.
JSW Energy said the commissioning of units 3 and 4 at Barmar was also expected upon receipt of the tariff order from RERC. The units are expected to go on line by the end of this fiscal. JSW Energy's aggregate generation is 2,330 MW.
Tariff
Mr L.K. Gupta, Joint Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, JSW Energy, said the commissioning of JSW Energy's Ratnagiri power plant comes at a critical time when the country is facing power shortage.
While declining to reveal the rate JSW was getting for supply of 1,200 MW to Maharashtra, he said the Rajasthan Government was provisionally paying Rs 3.09 a unit for supplies from unit 1 and 2 of the Barmar power plant, pending finalisation. JSW Energy had sought Rs 4.71 a unit. On coal supply, he said the plants were operating on imported fuel.
Of the 2,330-MW generation, 270 MW from Barmar is under long-term power purchase agreement with the State, besides which 300 MW is with Maharashtra. The balance of 1,760 MW is vended as merchant power of which a portion is fed to JSW Steel.
On Monday, the company scrip gained 2.6 per cent to close at Rs 51.35 on BSE.