By IANS,
Raipur : Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa Monday said his government planned to add 10,000 MW of power before the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan period ending 2017, and 5,000 MW of this would be added over the next four years.
“Karnataka has embarked upon an ambitious plan of adding 10,000 MW of power before the end of the 12th plan,and 5,000 MW (of this) would be added in the next four years, during the 11th plan itself,” Yeddyurappa said.
“The state is experiencing serious difficulties in meeting the fast increasing demand for power for its multi-sided development in the state,” Yeddyurappa said while addressing a function here.
Yeddyurappa, along with his ministerial colleagues, attended a function marking the signing of an agreement between the Karnataka Power Corp Ltd (KPCL) and the Chhattisgarh government to set up a Rs.60-billion, 1,200 MW thermal plant in Chhattisgarh.
“We have a total installed capacity of around 8,930 MW but our daily demand is around 9,000 MW,” the chief minister said at the function.
He said by the end of the 11th plan, energy demand in Karnataka is expected to increase to 11,000 MW and by the 12th plan period, it would cross 13,000 MW. “This is why my government has given top priority for enhancing power generation capacity,” Yeddyurappa said.
According to him, Karnataka has exhausted most of its major hydel power potential. “At present, we produce the highest quantum of hydro electric power in the country, which is more than 55 percent of our total supply,” he said.
“Whatever little potential still available in hydel sector, is not sufficient to meet the increasing demand for power. We are therefore forced to plan for thermal power projects for large scale and dependable power supply,” Yeddyurappa added.