In order to meet its target of 24-hour power supply by 2012, the Mayawati government is planning to purchase 2,000 MW power from the open market for the next 25 years. The Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) has invited proposals for the same and they will be opened on May 30.

“Since power generation is a long process, we have decided to purchase it. We will be accepting proposals from anywhere in the country,” said Navneet Sehgal, Chairman and Managing Director of UPPCL. He said the purchase deal will be finalised within two months.

Admitting that the state is facing acute power shortage, Sehgal said the restricted demand of power is 7,500 MW, which, in normal conditions, goes up to 9,000 MW.

On the other hand, the state, through various sources, is providing 6,500 MW. Efforts are being made to add at least 5,000 MW through internal sources by 2011.

According to Sehgal, the per capita annual consumption in the state is 340 KW against the national per capita annual consumption of 672 KW.

“This indicates that we need to generate more than double the power that we are generating at the present moment,” he said.

After coming to power, the Mayawati government had made a promise to the people that it would generate 5,500 MW of power by 2012, although not even a single MW has been added since then.

After purchasing power in teh first phase of its programme, in its second phase, the corporation is planning to push for the 3x660 MW Bara Thermal Power Project and 2x660 MW Karchhana Thermal Power Project.

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