Karchana Thermal Power Project
{{#Badges:CoalSwarm|navbar-Indiacoal}}Karchana Thermal Power Project was a proposed 1980-megawatt coal plant in Uttar Pradesh, India. It was subsequently scaled back to 1320 MW and ownership changed hands to state-owned UPRVUNL.
In May 2015 it was proposed the project be scrapped for a 4,000 MW Karchana Ultra Mega Power Project.
Contents
Location
The project was proposed to be built at Bara tehsil (village Karchhana) in the Allahabad district.[1] The point on the right shows the original location of the project as identified in the Environmental Clearance. On the left is the new location of the project, which is now reported to be adjacent to the Bara Thermal Power Project.[2]
Background
The project comprised three 660MW units which were being developed by JPV subsidiary Sangam Power Generation Company, a power generation subsidiary of the privately-owned Jaypee Group, a major Indian infrastructure company with interests in civil engineering and construction, cement, power, real estate, expressways, hospitality, golf courses and education.[3]
According to the 2010/2011 annual report, the company was in possession of the 778 hectares needed for the project and had received the necessary environmental clearance, water linkage, and coal linkage. Boiler foundations were completed and other construction works was underway. Financial closure had been achieved.[4]
In April 2012, the Times of India reported that project was stalled in the wake of a decision by the Allahaban high court to quash the company's notifications for the acquisition of 650 hectares of land for the project.[5] However, in June 2012 the project was revived.[6]
In December 2013 Jaiprakash Power Ventures announced that it was cancelling the project. According to one report, the project "was unviable at the rates it had quoted to bag the project in 2009 and the total land required for the project was not handed over yet." It was reported that the government had initiated talks for transferring the project to NTPC.[7]
Jaypee quits project; Uttar Pradesh government revives it under state-owned UPRVUNL
In July 2014 it was reported that the state-owned power generation company UP Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (UPRVUNL) would take over the project, several months after Jaypee Group backed out due to land acquisition problems. The project will be moved to be adjacent to the Bara Thermal Power Project.[8][9]
According to the Times of India, construction work on the boundary wall began in September 2014. According to state officials, 13 of the total 1,942 land owners had not agreed to compensation for land taken for the project.[10]
In May 2015 it was reported that the UP government had sent a proposal to the Union power ministry to set up a 4000 MW ultra-mega thermal power plant (UMTPP) in Karchana, as the site for the 1320 MW project has "been lying unutilized."[11]
Citizen opposition
In January 2011 a protest was initiated by local farmers of Kachari in the Karchan area over a land acquisition dispute. The farmers were demanding to be paid a fair market value for their land. During this protest it was reported that "three policemen were injured, two police vehicles set ablaze and the Delhi-Howrah trunk route was blocked for 13 hours." It was the culmination of protests that had been ongoing for four months.[12]
In June 2011, farmers protested the plant by staging a mass public begging, to dramatize that if the plant is built the loss of their land will leave them with no option other than begging. In footage broadcast by CVB News Service, Raj Bahadur Patel, a leader of the farmers, said, "The government acquired our lands without following the policy of land acquisition. We have been protesting for 300 days. The administration has said they will not do anything in the matter. We have appealed to the government to give us our lands as they are our source of livelihood. The farmers along with their families participated in the flag march today." Another leader, Arvind Patel, said, "We have no option but to beg for our lands, but this government says that begging is also a crime."
In April 2013, after four years of protests by local farmers, it was announced they were ready to make a final decision on the plant's future. After opposing the plant, farmers showed interest after the Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation Act (2013) passed the Indian Parliament. The farmers noted the Act ought to give them legal standing for better compensation for their land.[13]
Project Details
Sponsor: UP Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (UPRVUNL)
Location: adjacent to Bara Thermal Power Project, Bara taluk, Allahabad district, Uttar Pradesh
Coordinates: 25.2142987, 81.6508198 (approximate)
Status: Cancelled
Capacity: 1320 MW (Units 1-2: 660 MW)
Type: Supercritical
Projected in service:
Coal Type:
Coal Source:
Estimated annual CO2:
Source of financing:
Permits and applications: Environmental Clearance for Phase I, India MoEF, October 30, 2009
Articles and Resources
Sources
- ↑ "Thermal Power", Jaiprakash Power Ventures website, accessed November 2011.
- ↑ Environmental Clearance J -13012/240/2007-IA.II (T), MoEF, 30 October 2009
- ↑ Jaiprakash Power Ventures, "Thermal Power", Jaiprakash Power Ventures website, accessed November 2011.
- ↑ Jaiprakash Power Ventures, "Home", Jaiprakash Power Ventures website, accessed November 2011.
- ↑ R N Pandey & Rajiv Mani, "Allahabad high court quashes land acquisition for UP plant," April 14, 2012
- ↑ "Akhilesh revives Jaypee’s 1,320 MW Karchana project" Deepa Jainani, The Financial Express, July 14, 2012.
- ↑ "Jaypee Infratech decides to pull out of Karchana Thermal Power project," Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, 26 December 2013
- ↑ Pankaj Shah, "UP government to install four power plants," Times of India, July 8, 2014
- ↑ Jaypee Infratech decides to pull out of Karchana Thermal Power project," CMIE, 26 Dec 2013
- ↑ "Construction of Karchana Thermal Power Plant begin," Times of India, Sep 5, 2014
- ↑ "UP govt pitches Karchana for 4000 MW mega power plant," Times of India, May 16, 2015
- ↑ "Karchana power project depends upon farmers : Uttar Pradesh govt" Harneedi.com, January 25, 2011.
- ↑ "Karchana power plant: farmers to take a decision" Omar Rashid, The Hindu, November 14, 2013.
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