The State government is keen to set up mini thermal power plants in public private partnership (PPP) to cater exclusively to Bangalore’s electricity needs, Energy Minister D K Shivakumar told the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.
The Expression of Interest (EoI) for the proposed project has already been invited. The mini thermal plants can come up on 100 acres of land within a 100-km radius of Bangalore. The project will help in creating the much-needed separate grid for Bangalore, the minister said, in reply to a discussion on the budget proposals for the financial year 2014-15.
This apart, the 700 MW gas-based power plant project in Bidadi, also proposed for dedicated supply to Bangalore, is getting delayed due to lawsuits about the tenders, Shivakumar said. The Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) is now planning to cancel the tenders and get the project implemented by a central agency. It will set up a 350 MW gas-based power plant at its diesel power-generating station in Yelahanka, which will also cater exclusively to Bangalore, he added.
Solar city The minister also talked about the government’s plans to make Bangalore a “solar city” by encouraging citizens to take up solar energy production. The government will pay for energy pumped into the grid at the tariff fixed by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC). The present rate is Rs 7.2 per unit. Solar rooftop projects on public buildings, domestic, commercial and industrial establishments will be allowed, he said.
Besides, the government is considering amending building bylaws in respect of Floor Area Ratio (FAR), in coordination with the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP)/urban local bodies and the urban development department to exempt FAR in respect of additional floor area created under solar PV panels with light roofing. Shivakumar said the government envisaged generating 300 MW of power over the next year through rooftop solar energy projects and by promoting solar energy projects by farmers who own land.
To make farmers’ solar energy projects viable, the government proposes to amend section 95 of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act, relaxing the norms for land conversion for solar projects. The minister also said that an investment of Rs seven crore was needed to generate one MW of solar power.
The energy generated (minimum of one MW and maximum of three MW) will be purchased by electricity supply companies at the tariff fixed by the KERC from time to time, he added.