Fourth 300-MW unit of JSW's Ratnagiri plant comes onstream

JSW Energy, a part of the JSW Group, commenced commercial operation of the fourth 300-MW unit at its Ratnagiri power plant in Maharashtra yesterday.

The entire 1,200-MW thermal power plant is now fully operational and is supplying uninterrupted power to the state grid, it said in a statement.

This is the first power project of over 1,000 MW to be set up in Maharashtra by a private sector company since the Electricity Act, 2003, was notified.

JSW Energy also resumed operations at its 2x135-MW Barmer power plant on October 12 using lignite from the Kapurdi reserves, pursuant to the fixation of an ad hoc interim tariff by Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission (RERC).

Lignite mining by Barmer Lignite Mining Co Ltd (BLMCL) commenced following the transfer of a mining licence for the Kapurdi reserves in favour of BLMCL.

BLMCL is a joint venture between Rajasthan State Mines & Minerals Ltd, a government of Rajasthan enterprise, and Rajasthan West Power Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of JSW Energy, with equity participation of 51% and 49%, respectively, to develop lignite mines in the contiguous Kapurdi and Jalipa blocks in Barmer district.

Commissioning of Units 3 and 4 is also expected to take place shortly upon receipt of the tariff order from RERC, it said.

The aggregate generation capacity of JSW Energy now stands at 2,330 MW. Commissioning of the balance units under the Barmer project is expected to take place by the end of the 2012 fiscal.