By IANS,
Lucknow : Uttar Pradesh has the lowest per capita power consumption in the country, according to a report by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).
Officials admit that the lack of power has affected the state’s development, but cite ongoing projects that will ensure Uttar Pradesh becomes a power-surplus state by 2014.
“Uttar Pradesh’s annual per capita consumption of electricity was the lowest in the country at just about 340 units, which was just about half of the national average of 672 units,” according to the general review report of the CEA.
According to the report, consumption is as high as 969 units in western India, 836 units in the southern region and 623 in the northern region. Even in the economically weak eastern region, it was 357 units – still higher than Uttar Pradesh.
Expressing concern over the prevailing situation, Uttar Pradesh Power Corp (UPPC) chairman Navneet Sehgal said the biggest impediment in the path of the state’s development was the power shortage.
Sehgal, who took over as UPPC’s chief less than a year ago, plans to turn Uttar Pradesh into a power surplus state by 2014.
“For the first time in the history of the state, the government has embarked upon a grand power generation plan to match the national figures in a time-bound manner to provide electricity to the most deprived populace in the state,” he said.
The government has already approved setting up a three-way mechanism, as recommended by the Energy Task Force, headed by the chief secretary to identify and establish power projects in the state, he said.
These included power generation through the public private partnership (PPP) route.
Under the model, the financial burden would rest entirely on the private partner and the government would arrange the location, land, fuel (coal), water, environmental clearances through special purpose vehicles.
Under this arrangement, consultants have already been selected for preparing necessary reports for clearances for the 1,320-MW Jawaharpur thermal plant in Etah and the 1,980-MW Dopaha thermal plant in Sonebhadra, Sehgal said.
“Bids have been received for the selection of consultant for the 1,980-MW Lalitpur thermal power plant,” he added.
Under the second model, the government would procure 5,000 MW power from the private sector.
Thirdly, the state intends to generate 5000 MW through its own projects. Work on the Anpara-E plant is under way.