Commonwealth Games: Power windfall for Delhi

In a bid to prevent any shortage of power during the Commonwealth Games in 2010, Delhi's power supply will be doubled over the next four years.

Delhi will receive an additional supply of 3,970 MW by September 2010, over and above its current supply of 3,500 MW.

"By March 2010, Delhi will start receiving an additional supply of 1,990 MW, which will be ramped up to 3,480 MW by June 2010. The additional supply will be increased to 3,970 MW by September 2010," government sources told Business Standard.

The additional power supply will be scaled up to 5,960 MW by December 2011. The projects will require an investment of Rs 23,840 crore (Rs 238.40 billion). This was decided by a high-level monitoring committee headed by Power Secretary RV Shahi.

The committee is monitoring the implementation of new power projects in Delhi and Haryana to meet the demands stemming from the Commonwealth Games.

Delhi will be receiving a part of this power from the Damodar Valley Corporation's Mejia expansion project (1,000 MW), Koderma project (1,000 MW) and Bokaro expansion project (500 MW).

The other projects that will supply power to Delhi are NTPC's Dadri-II expansion project (980 MW), Badarpur expansion stage-III project (980 MW), and Jhajjar project (1,500 MW).

"Delhi may buy this power at around Rs 2.75 per unit," the sources said. After all the projects attain commercial operation and all the units are commissioned, Delhi's power supply may be augmented to 9,460 MW by December 2011.