Rajpura Termal Plant to use pollution free technology, says Sukhbir

CHANDIGARH: The upcoming1320 MW super thermal plant at Rajpura to be built at the cost of Rs 7000 Crores, by renowned multinational company Larsen and Toubro would use the latest Supercritical technology, taking the Punjab a step closer in becoming first Power Surplus state of the country.



Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister Sunday after reviewing the arrangements for foundation stone laying ceremony to be held on March 2, said that it would be the third super thermal plant built during the tenure of present SAD-BJP government. This work could be started only after completing the onerous tasks including planning, financial bidding, coal linkage clearances and other mandatory clearances from Union ministries like Power, coal, pollution and forest besides clearing hurdles like land acquisition, he added. Mr. Badal said that work was already on full swing in 540 MW at Goindwal Sahib and 1980 MW thermal plant at Talwandi Sabo.

Giving the details of Rajpura thermal plant,  Badal said that it would be the first plant of this country to use supercritical technology that with high temperature and pressure of steam, was considered the most efficient and the least pollutant system of generating power from coal. Mr. Badal said that this thermal plant with 1320 MW generation capacity would have 2 units of 660 MW each and Rajpura thermal plant was set to generate power in next 2 years.

The Deputy Chief Minister who envisioned these power projects said that Rajpura thermal plant to come up in the village Nalash near Rajpura would be setup in a sprawling campus with an area of 1078.16 acres.  He said that this thermal plant has been given coal linkage from M/s South Eastern Coalfields Ltd., who has their coal fields in Korba-Raigarh region of Chattisgarh.

Giving the details of special pollution control measures, Mr. Badal said that Rajpura thermal plant would use State of the Art technology to ensure low emission levels of noise and air pollutants. It would be equipped with Electro Static Precipitators (ESPs) of 99.9% efficiency to minimize the carbon level in smoke. Moreover, the plant would keep the height of Stack Chimney at the higher level of 275 meters to have minimum effect of pollution free smoke on adjoining areas. It would get 50 cuesec water from Rajpura distributary and effluents would be treated in special Effluent Treatment Plant. Mr. Badal said that thermal plant would maintain sufficient green belt to maintain the ecological balance.

Expressing satisfaction on beginning of work on third thermal plant,  Badal said that the company has already entered into power purchase agreement with PSEB and it would supply power at Rs. 2.89 per unit. Mr. Badal said that SAD-BJP government was eagerly awaiting clearance from Union government the coal linkage for 2640MW super thermal plant at Gidderbaha, to realize his dream of power surplus Punjab.