Finally, the process of setting up of a coal based thermal power project with a capacity of range 1320 MW at Patratu got going today after many hiccups. Incidentally, the power plant was mooted back in 2006.
The project at Patratu in Ramgarh district has been described as an opportunity for Indian as well as overseas developer.
A special purpose vehicle (SPV)- Patratu Energy Limited , a wholly owned company of Jharkhand State Electricity Board (JSEB) today put out advertisement for –Global Invitation for Pre-qualification of applicants- for the project under DBFOT basis . (The acronym stands for Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer) .
It will be executed through Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. The last date of submission of application was December 3, 2013.The consultant for the project was a subsidiary of the Power Finance Corporation.
The Banhardih coal block in(400 MMT) has been allocated to the JSEB for the plant. Coal requirement is estimated at 6.3 million tonne per annum. The coal block in Latehar district was allotted to JSEB by the Union coal ministry way back in 2006 and the project’s future became uncertain as coal block was de-allocated in 2011 following JSEB’s failure to start mining even after more than five years.
The coal block would be linked with the proposed project and the successful bidder would be allowed to develop the coal block along with the power plant so that the same may be used as a source of fuel for the generation of power.
As per plans, two units, each with an installed capacity of 660 MW, are proposed to be set up on 400 hectares lying vacant at the existing Patratu Thermal Power Plant owned by JSEB. The water was going to be sourced through a pipeline from Patratu reservoir just around 1.5 km from the project site.
