Karnataka has drawn up an ambitious plan for setting up four gas based power plants with a capacity of 2,000 MW each in four different districts under a public private partnership model.

Mr K Jairaj on the sidelines of an interaction meeting of the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce with the Energy Minister, Mr KS Eshwarappa and senior power sector officials.

Mr Jairaj said these projects with a total capacity of 8000 MW would be showcased before private investors at the Global Investors’ meet expected to be held next year.

The gas based power plants have been proposed at Belgaum, Gadag, Davangere and Tumkur at a total estimated cost of about INR 32000 crore. These proposed projects would be sanctioned through bid route to private promoters.

Already, the land required for the project in each of these four cities had been identified through the State-held Karnataka Industrial Development Board.

He said that efforts were now on to have a tie up for the water supply to the proposed gas plants. The success of these proposed power plants would depend on the availability of gas. He added that these plants are supposed to get gas supply from the Dabhol-Bangalore gas pipeline.

Mr Jairaj said that “If everything goes well, it should be possible to set up the plants within two years of awarding the project and getting all necessary clearances.”

(Sourced from Business Line)