While NTPC had planned to set up a 4,000 MW super thermal power project at Pudimadaka, about 60 kms south of Vizag city at an investment of Rs 26,000 crore, Trina Solar was expected to set up a Rs 2,800-crore high efficiency solar cell and module production project at Atchuthapuram in the district.
According to sources, even though NTPC had held a public hearing in August last year, the project is yet to take off as a decision is pending on coal allocation for the proposed thermal power plant. Sources said while Union power and coal minister Piyush Goyal had promised fuel linkage from domestic coal mines, a formal order on it is yet be issued due to which the project has not moved ahead.
“Earlier, there were plans to import coal for the project planned at Pudimadaka, but later it was decided to use domestic coal. We need high GCV coal for higher productivity and we are expecting coal linkage from the Raniganj coalfield in West Bengal as it has high GCV (gross calorific value),” an NTPC official said. The sources said environmental clearance for the project and awarding of tenders can be completed only after the coal linkage is finalised for the project. NTPC Pudimadaka super thermal power project is expected to be developed on an area of around 1,500 acres.
Meanwhile, Trina Solar had inked a memorandum of understanding to set up a Rs 2,800 crore plant at Atchutapuram, which would provide employment to around 3,500 people. Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) sources said Trina Solar had been allotted around 90 acres for the project.
Trina Solar had planned to set up a high efficiency solar cell and module production project in two phases with a capacity of 700 MW cells and 500 MW modules in the first phase and subsequently expanding it to 1.4 GW cell and 1 GW module capacity in the second phase.
“The foundation stone for the project was laid in January earlier this year but the company is expecting more incentives from the state government including a dedicated power line before moving forward. It also wants the government to develop the plot by increasing the height of the land by half a metre. The project is proposed on around 90 acres and to increase the height will be very costly,” said an APIIC official. He said the state government has already issued various incentives as per the AP electronics policy.
Source:ET
