Biomass-based Jalkheri power plant recommissioned
Punjab power minister Harbhajan Singh ETO says the facility, recommissioned on June 21, will consume approximately 1 lakh tonnes of paddy straw annually, helping the state government in curbing the problem of stubble burning on nearly 50,000 acres.
Punjab power minister Harbhajan Singh ETO on Monday announced the recommissioning of the 10-megawatt (MW) biomass-based power plant in Jalkheri village of Fatehgarh Sahib, highlighting its environmental and economic benefits for the state.
Owned by the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), the plant was originally commissioned in June 1992 and remained operational till July 1995. It was given on lease to Jalkheri Power Plant Limited (JPPL) in July 2001.
The plant was recommissioned in July 2002 and remained operational till September 2007. In 2012, efforts were made to restart the project by licensing a private developer to run it for a specific period by giving it on lease. In 2018, the plant was re-tendered to be leased out.
The minister said the state-of-the-art facility, recommissioned on June 21, would consume approximately 1 lakh tonnes of paddy straw annually which would help the state government in curbing the problem of stubble burning on nearly 50,000 acres.
The term of power purchase agreement (PPA) for this plant is 20 years starting from June 21 after which the facility will be transferred to the PSPCL. In the recent tendering process, the final quoted tariff was ₹5.84/KWH after reverse biding which in fact has further been reduced by Rs. 0.07/KWH, saving ₹10 crore over the lease period. The power generated from this plant shall be purchased by the PSPCL at a negotiated tariff of Rs. 5.77 per unit.