2022: Karnataka Energy Minister's date with full power

Bengaluru: The state hoped to be self -sufficient in power production by 2022, Energy Minister, D.K. Shivakumar  revealed on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters after the signing of an MoU by the Karnataka Solar Power Development Corporation Limited with the NTPC and state ESCOMs, he said the government planned  to produce  over 6000 MW  additional power from all available sources, including renewable energy to make self-sufficiency possible.

Noting that a 2000 MW solar park was coming up in Pavagada, he said the first phase of the project would be completed by September 2017,when 500 MW of power would start flowing into the grid. Once the next phase was completed by September 2018,  another 1500 MW of power would be added to it.

Of the 2000 MW of solar power produced at the park, NTPC would be given 600 MW and 1000 MW in separate blocks for implementation of  solar projects under the JNNSM and EPC schemes, he explained.  “We will allot 200 MW to  SECI and the remaining 200 MW to KREDL,”  he added.

The bundled tariff for ESCOMs  would be around Rs 3.30/unit considering the prevailing fuel price for unallocated power. “This tariff will  go down upon revision of tariff for unallocated power by CERC,” Mr Shivakumar said.