Work on JPVL's 2,700-Mw Hydro Project in Arunachal May Commence by 2011

By Supratim Dey

Guwahati, Feb 16 : Work on the 2,700-MW Lower Siang mega hydro power project in Arunachal Pradesh, to be developed by Jaiprakash Power Ventures Limited (JPVL), a subsidiary of Jaypee Group, would hopefully commence in 2011. The company recently got the techno economic clearance (TEC) for the project from Central Electricity Authority and the environmental clearance is expected by this year.

"We have already got the techno economic clearance and we are hopeful to get the environmental clearance by end of this year. By early next year, the work on the project will start," said Suren Jain, managing director of JPVL on the sidelines of a press conference here today to announce the upcoming initial public offering (IPO) of Jaypee Infratech Ltd in March.

Jain said that the Rs 20,000 crore power project will be developed in two stages, comprising 1,500 MW and 1,200 MW each.

The first stage would be commissioned by 2017 and the next would take another 3-4 years for completion. The designing and layout of the project, said Jain, had been already completed.

Presently, around 200 personnel and workers are stationed at the project site and preliminary works, like constructing offices and makeshift quarters, would begin soon. He said that mobilization of machineries and equipment had also begun. 

The project was awarded to JPVL by the Arunachal Pradesh government in 2007.

Jain informed that detailed project report (DPR) of 500 MW Hirong hydro power project, also in Arunachal Pradesh, had been prepared.

Besides, "investigations" on preparing the DPRs for the 450-MW Kynshi II and 270-MW Umgot hydro power projects, which were awarded by the Meghalaya government a few months back, are underway.

The company would be investing close to Rs 35,000 crore in developing the four hydro power projects in Northeast.

Jain said that the Jaiprakash Associates Ltd (JAL), the flagship company of Jaypee Group, is all set to sign the joint venture agreement with Assam Mineral Development Corporation (AMDC), a government of Assam undertaking for the proposed Rs 1,050 crore Greenfield cement plant in Assam.

The total production capacity of the plant would be 2 million tones and the plant, when completed, would produce around 6,667 MT or about 1,33,334 bags of cement per day.

The MoU (memorandum of understanding) between the two parties was signed in July last year in Guwahati.