Sonia Gandhi lays foundation of Suratgarh power plant units in Rajasthan

New Delhi, June 20 (IANS) United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi Thursday laid the foundation stone of the seventh and eighth units of the Suratgarh super thermal critical power project in Ganganagar district of Rajasthan.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and state minister for energy, non-conventional energy and information and public relations Jitendra Singh, along with senior cabinet colleagues, were present at the foundation-laying ceremony.

According to Rajasthan state government, the two units have a combined electricity generation capacity of 1,320 MW, which will complement the existing installed capacity of 1,500 MW at the power plant.

The new units, approved in 2009, would be constructed by state-run BHEL at a total cost of Rs.7,290 crore. The two units are expected to be completed within 42 months.

“Over 672.873 hectare land has been acquired for setting up these units. The availability of water for these units has been ensured from Indira Gandhi Canal Project and efforts are underway for the availability of coal,” the Rajasthan government said in a statement.

The power station is the biggest one in the state which currently has an installed capacity of 1,500 MW being produced by six units.

Seven small hydro power projects are being operated under the Suratgarh thermal power project which is adjacent to Indira Gandhi Canal Project.

“Of these (hydro power projects), power is being generated from five units. Over 89.57 lakh units power was generated from these small hydro units in 2012-13,” the statement said.

The power generated from these projects is being supplied by the Rajasthan State Vidyut Prasaran Nigam to the grid sub-stations of Suratgarh, Bikaner, Bhadra and Ratangarh.

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