New 800 MW power plant to come up in Ramagundam

As part of the plan, Dy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka visited the plant along with Ministers D Sridhar Babu and Ponnam Prabhakar and examined different units

Peddapalli: The Ramagundam B Thermal Power plant will soon be replaced with a new 800 MW thermal power plant.

As part of the plan, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Saturday visited the plant along with Ministers D Sridhar Babu and Ponnam Prabhakar and examined different units. He also interacted with engineers and other staff of the power plant. The existing 62.50 MW thermal power plant was established in Ramagundam in October 1971. The Telangana Power Generation Corporation Limited (TGGENCO) was maintaining the unit. However, as part of the nationwide policy to close all small power units which were generating more pollution, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) had earlier issued instructions for the closure of the Ramagundam unit.

---

However, it was being operated for the last five years following local political leaders’ efforts. BRS district president and former MLA Korukanti Chander and other leaders made efforts for continuation of the plant. They had also put a proposal before the previous BRS government for expansion of the plant. TGGENCO, which had planned to close the unit, has not carried out repair works and power production has also been stalled in the recent past. On the other hand, orders were issued by sending a few of the engineers and other staff to the Yadadri Power Plant on deputation.

Initially, the State government considered the idea of establishing a plant by the Singareni Collieries Company Limited. However, it changed its decision due to various reasons. Now, it has decided to establish the unit as a joint venture of SCCL and GENCO.

Besides 500 acres of land, all natural resources such as coal, water and other facilities are available in the area. So there would not be any hurdles for expansion of the plant, officials said. Bhatti Vikramarka, after visiting the plant on Saturday, said the State government had decided to establish an 800 MW Thermal Power Plant in Ramagundam. Both Singareni Collieries Company Limited and GENCO would jointly take up the construction works. Approval for the power plant was got after discussions with Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday, he said.

He asked local public representatives and officials to identify the land and other facilities required for the plant and send proposals to the government as early as possible. The works of the power plant would be commenced as and when the government received proposals.

Bhatti Vikramarka said the Ramagundam Thermal Station-B plant had served the State as well as the nation for 50 years and it was closed due to some technical reasons. Considering the local people’s attachment with the power plant, the government had decided to establish another power plant at the same place.