NTPC commissions 1st 250-mw unit of much-delayed Assam project

PTI
GUWAHATI, JUNE 23

Marking the beginning of its operations in North-East, state-run power major NTPC today commissioned the first 250 MW unit of much-delayed Bongaigaon project in Assam.
“We have commissioned the first unit of the Bongaigaon Thermal Power Station. With going on stream of the 250 MW
unit, we have started our operations in North East,” an NTPC spokesperson said.
The company is setting up three units of 250 MW each at coal-based project, which is being executed by PSU firm BHEL.
“The entire 750 MW project will be completed by 2016. It got delayed due to various social disturbances, law and order issues and extreme weather conditions,” the official said, adding it was scheduled to complete by 2012.
Due to delay in construction and rising material prices, the project cost also escalated to Rs 5,000 crore from the earlier announced Rs 4,720 crore.
The spokesperson said fuel for the plant will be sourced from the mines in Margherita area in Assam under North-Eastern Coal Fields LTD (NECL) and Raniganj coal sources in West Bengal under Eastern Coal Fields Ltd (ECL).
The plant, located at Kumguri village of Salakati near Bongaigaon in Kokrajhar district, is being executed by BHEL.Once the project is completed, it will become the highest rating coal-based power plant in North East India, BHEL said in a statement. The NTPC spokesperson also said once the entire project is commissioned, it will go a long way in mitigating the power shortage of the region.
“The beneficiary states will be the seven states of North East and adjoining Eastern region states along with the Union Territories. The existing land that was available at the erstwhile Bongaigaon Thermal Power Project of ASEB is used for the construction of the project,” the spokesperson added.
In 2013, Assam’s then Power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi had said that the ‘Bandh culture’ hit the state’s aim to become self-sufficient in power generation with the NTPC’s Bongaigaon project getting delayed by over two years.
NTPC received investment approval to the project in January 2008 and the main plant award was placed within one month.
The entire project is spread over an area of 964 acres.All the three units were scheduled for commissioning during 11th Plan. The Unit 1 and Unit 2 boiler hydro tests were done in January 2011 and April 2012 respectively.