Power min to lower capacity of NTPC’s Jharkhand project

“Shinde told he GoM that his ministry has agreed to certain compromises by lowering the installed capacity from 2000 MW to 1320 MW and reducing land size from 2330 acres to 970 acres,” a senior government official told The Indian Express.

An NTPC official said that the PSU has firmed up its construction plans for the site and have incurred substantial investment. “Now if we are asked to relocate after nearly four years as we have acquired the land and other clearances it is unfair “ he said.

The power company believes that re-locating the North Karanpura project in Jharkhand’s Chatra district to some other site could also trigger similar demand from other quarters,which could upset its expansion plans.

Both coal and power ministries have been fighting a turf war over the issue for quite sometime.

NTPC feels that CIL’s arguments are specious as the seams are situated beyond the existing mineable standards. But the coal giant maintains that site of the project was located within 250 metres of coal seams,which would otherwise be available through opencast mining.