Gandhinagar

The Centre has alloted Gare Palma Sector I coal mine in Chhattisgarh, having annual capacity to produce 55.50 million metric tonnes (MMT) of the fuel, to a Gujarat Government-run power company, the Assembly was informed today.

Gare Palma Sector I is one of the biggest mines in the country and it has been allotted to Gujarat State Electricity Corporation by the Union Coal Ministry, Energy Minister Saurabh Patel said.

In his statement in the House under Rule-44 (which deals with matters of public importance), he said the mine’s annual production capacity is enough to run power plants of 8,000 MW for the next 30 years.

“At present, our total installed capacity of coal-based plants is 3,930 MW, for which we get 17.37 MMT of coal. Within the next three years, we have planned to set up two new plants, one at Sikka (Jamnagar district) having capacity of 500 MW and another at Vanakbori (Kheda district), having capacity of 800 MW,” said Patel.

“Thus, if we add that 1,300 MW, our total installed capacity of coal-based plants will reach 5,230 MW. To achieve that capacity, we will need additional 25.82 MMT of coal.

“Luckily, Gare Palma Sector I mine will give more than required coal to take our total capacity to 8,000 MW in future,” said the Minister.

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