Haryana to buy more power from Rajasthan nuclear plant

With the 2,800 mega-watt (MW) nuclear power plant being set up in Haryana's Fatehabad not expected to start power generation before 2028, the Haryana Power Utilities, expecting an average energy deficit of about 1557 MW next summer, have set their eyes on buying nuclear power from outside the state to help tide over the gap.

- Hitender Rao

CHANDIGARH:

The Haryana Power Purchase Centre (HPPC), a joint forum of the state's two power distribution companies set up for power trading, had earlier in October gone in for the renewal of a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) to buy 25 MW of atomic power from the unit 5 and 6 of Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS) at Rawatbhata.

The HPPC earlier this week got approval from the regulator to purchase about 44 MW more power from two newly commissioned units of RAPS.

This would be in addition to the 25 MW bought from RAPS. Officials said that the power regulator granted approval for the procurement of 44.22 MW nuclear power unit 7 and 8 of Rawatbhata station for 15 years from the date of signing of PPA.

59% of tied up capacity from thermal power Power officials said the tied-up electricity capacity of Haryana as of September 2024 was about 14,943 MW with about 59% of it (about 8,892 MW) being sourced from coal fired power plants and about 22% (about 3,200 MW) from hydro projects.