Reliance Power has linked up the first unit of 660 MW, at its 4,000-MW Sasan ultra mega power plant, to the national grid.
The plant is being set up with an investment of about Rs 23,000 crore.
The remaining five units, also of 660 MW each, are to be commissioned at four-month intervals.
The electricity generated at Sasan will be sold at Rs 1.196 paise an unit to 14 distribution companies in seven States and is expected to benefit a population of about 35 crore.
RPower said Sasan is the first integrated coal mine and super-critical power plant to be commissioned in the country.
Coal production has already begun from the Moher and Moher-Amlohri coal mines that were allocated to the plant.
Another coal block Chhatrasal has received forest clearance and is under development.
Sasan project will require 20 million tonnes of coal annually. For each unit of 660 MW, an average of 2,70,000 tonnes of coal is required every month.
Currently, coal production is about 7,000 tonnes, which RPower said can be ramped up as more units come online.
J.P. Chalasani, Chief Executive Officer, RPower, said the implementation of Sasan project is a demonstration of the execution capabilities of Reliance – the ability to build large power and coal mine projects ahead of schedule.
Lower TARIFF
The Sasan plant will supply electricity at Rs 1.19 a unit under the power purchase agreement to Madhya Pradesh (1,485 MW), Uttar Pradesh (495 MW), Delhi (447 MW), Rajasthan (396 MW), Punjab (594 MW), Haryana (444 MW) and Uttrakhand (99 MW).
RPower said Madhya Pradesh’s power purchase bill will drop by Rs 1, 812 crore annually as Sasan’s tariff would bring the average procurement price down by 50 paise.
Madhya Pradesh’s average price now is Rs 2.94 a unit.
Surplus power
It would also turn into a power-surplus State from the current peak deficit levels of seven per cent in MW terms.
shanker.s@thehindu.co.in