September 27, 2012

With a host of companies queuing up to set up power projects in Amreli, the coastal district of Gujarat is fast emerging as a power hotspot. An estimated 7,000 MW of power projects, which would require investment of around Rs. 30,000 crore, are coming up in Amreli. This would make Amreli as the district having highest power generation capacity after Kutch, where around 10,000 MW of power plants are coming up.

GSPC Pipavav Power Company (GPPC) is setting up a 1,050 MW gas-based power plant at Kovaya village in Amreli at an investment of Rs. 4,000 crore.

Hyderabad-based Patel Energy is setting up a 1,320 MW thermal power plant at Lunsapur and Lothpur villages in Amreli’s Jafrabad taluka. The plant, to be based on super critical technology, will come up at an investment of over Rs. 7,000 crore. The power companies rush to Amreli due to presence of good road and rail network.

Ahmedabad-based Torrent Power is also in the process of setting up a 1,000 MW coal-based power plant at Rampara in Amreli along with the state-owned Gujarat Power Corporation Limited (GPCL).

Visa Power is another company that has plans to set up a 1,320 MW coal-based power plant at Amreli. Likewise, Videocon Industries is setting up a 1,600 MW thermal power project at Bherai village in Pipavav. The plant will use imported coal as fuel.

Sintex group also wants to set up a 1,720 MW power plant at an investment of Rs. 8,300 crore at Lunsapur in Jafrabad. The plant will comprise two coal-based units of 660 MW each and one 400 MW gas-based unit.

The proximity to Pipavav port, which would enable coal imports, has also contributed to power producers’ rush to Amreli.

With projects of more than 10,000 MW under construction, including 4,000 MW ultra mega power project of Tata Group and 4,600 MW project of Adani Group, Kutch leads as far as power generation capacity is concerned. Amreli would boast of power generation capacity of 7,000 MW in the next three to four years.