The government of Orissa has decided to invest Rs 8000 crore to set up a 2,000-MW thermal power plant in Bhubaneswar. The project will be handled by the newly-formed Orissa Thermal Power Corp Ltd (OTPCL). According to official sources the proposed thermal plant at Rengali in Angul district will become operational by 2014. OTPCL is a joint-venture company of state-run Orissa Mining Corp (OMC) and Orissa Hydro Power Corp (OHPC).

 

Revealing further information about the project, Energy Minister S N Patro said that both the companies will have equal share in equity for the Rs 8,000-crore project. At the initial stage, both OMC and OHPC will start the thermal project with an investment of 1,200 crore each. After the completion of the project, the state of Orissa will get its second thermal power unit.

 

The first thermal power plant of the state is under the supervision of Orissa Power Generation Corp (OPGC) and the US-based Aes Powers. According to Patro, the land for the proposed thermal plant has already been picked up. He added that the reservoir at Rengali will supply water for the plant. Both OMC and OHPC will use their coal blocks for the thermal power project.