CEA gives nod to 1,000-MW Turga hydel project

Kolkata, Aug 20 (IANS) The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has conditionally approved the Rs 4,500 crore Turga pump storage hydroelectric project of 1,000 megawatt in Purulia district of West Bengal, an official said on Saturday.

"We have cleared the project but its environmental clearance is pending," said CEA Chairman S.D. Dubey.

The state planned to install a 1,200-MW solar plant to feed the 1,000-MW pump storage hydel power plant at Turga.

"We want more such projects in the country for better grid stability management," he said on the sidelines of an 'Energy Conclave' organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry.

The state, however, is yet to receive the official communication from the CEA.

"The formal letter has not reached us yet, but the CEA has said it has been cleared. The approval is conditional for want of some more land, which will be sorted out in due course," said state Power Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhay.

The West Bengal government had sought a grant from the clean energy fund to part-finance the solar plant project.

Chattopadhay said the state had sought relaxation in 25-MW restriction on the solar power project to get access to the fund.

The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool government planned to roll out a new solar policy to encourage investments in the sector and also to meet the revised target of generating 4,500 MW solar energy by 2022 in West Bengal.

The Centre scaled down West Bengal's solar power generation target from 5,200 MW to 4,500 MW.