It is reported that union government is considering setting up of an ultra mega power plant at either of the four sites suggested by the Gujarat Government, namely Porbandar, Kutch, Junagarh and Navsari.

Mr Bharatsinh Solanki union minister of state for power said that this would be the second UMPP to come up in the State.

Mr Solanki said that “TATA power is building a UMPP at Mundra at a cost of around INR 20,000 crore and the Gujarat state will get 1,900 out of the 4,000 MW power at INR 2.26 a unit from the UMPP.”

He added that a proposal for a 6,000 MW atomic power plant at Mithi Virdi, Bhavnagar at an investment of INR 60,000 crore has been cleared by the Union Ministry. He further added that the capacity addition of 1,400 MW at Kakrapar Atomic Power plant in South Gujarat has also been approved by the Centre.

Mr Solanki said that National Thermal Power Corporation will sign a memorandum of understanding with the State Government for two 50 MW units of solar energy plants at Kutch and Banaskantha.

Rejecting the claim of the State Government that it was due to them that Gujarat was making rapid developments in the power sector, he said that the Centre had provided over INR 35000 crore to Gujarat, the highest received by any State for assistance in the power sector.

Mr Solanki said that “Power Finance Corporation has given financial assistance of INR 17,585 crore for various power projects in the State, while Rural Electricity Corporation has given INR 13,078 crore.”

He added that National power grid is investing INR 4000 crore in the State to develop infrastructure for transmission of power.

(Sourced from Business Line)