Low-cost power: Deal with Maharashtra’s Sinnar project to be inked soon, says Keralam CM

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM A power purchase agreement (PPA) will soon be inked for supply of low-cost electricity from the Sinnar thermal power project in Maharashtra, Keralam Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan said on Wednesday. The supply will be made at ₹5.18 per unit, the Chief Minister said at a post-Cabinet press briefing. Originally, the State had expected supply from the Sinnar project to commence from January 2027, but now it is expected from March, Mr.

Satheesan said. Keralam power purchase row: CM Satheesan plays down issue, dismisses charges that Electricity Minister was kept in the dark Keralam power purchase row: CM Satheesan plays down issue, dismisses charges that Electricity Minister was kept in the dark Satheesan says KSEB had 'never entered into a power purchase agreement with GNA in the first place’ and that he is ‘not aware whether KSEB had misled him or not’ Keralam power purchase row: CM Satheesan plays down issue, dismisses charges that Electricity Minister was kept in the dark storyline 1 The government also hopes to get the supply increased to 1,000 MW, he said.

The KSEB had earlier informed the State Electricity Regulatory Commission that the NTPC Ltd had promised a supply of 540 MW from the Sinnar station. Located in Sinnar, Nashik, the Sinnar thermal power project is a joint venture of NTPC Ltd and MAHAGENCO, a Maharashtra power generation utility. Mr. Satheesan had recently held discussions with the chairperson of NTPC Ltd during a visit to New Delhi.

The Chief Minister’s announcement in this regard has come at a time when the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission also has urged the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) to execute the PPA with NTPC Ltd for supply from the Sinnar plant. The commission, in two recent orders, had directed the KSEB to execute the PPA “at the earliest to ensure commencement of power supply immediately on achieving Commercial Operation Date (CoD) of the first two units.” As the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) does not require additional coal-based generation capacity in the immediate future, the Sinnar plant had offered 540 MW of power to Keralam from its first two units, which are expected to be commissioned by February 2027.

Initially, the KSEB was expected to receive 270 MW round-the-clock (RTC) power from January 2027 onwards, and an additional 270 MW (with total capacity allocation 540MW) from March 2027, on a long-term basis for 25 years.