Chandigarh, June 7 — Punjab is set to receive a significant power boost, with the Union Government approving three new 800-MW thermal power units for the state. Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar cleared the proposal during a high-level regional conference of power ministers from North India, held under the Ministry of Power.
Punjab Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO, who represented the state at the conference, said the Union Minister had accepted Punjab’s request to expand its thermal power capacity. “Two of these new units will be set up at the existing Ropar thermal plant, while the third will be developed as a greenfield project,” he announced.
Khattar also instructed the extension of the coal transportation limit from 1,000 km to over 1,500 km, easing a major bottleneck Punjab had been facing despite having its own coal blocks. “We had coal but couldn’t use it beyond the 1,000-km limit. This was hampering expansion. The Centre’s decision has cleared the way for much-needed capacity additions,” said Harbhajan Singh.
With this development, Punjab will add 2,400 MW of generation capacity to its thermal power portfolio.
Power ministers and officials from Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh and Delhi also participated in the conference.
Punjab’s growing energy needs, especially during peak agricultural demand, were also raised during the meet. The state currently draws only 275 MW from the Central pool but had previously sought an additional 1,000 MW to meet seasonal demand, particularly during the paddy season. The state reiterated this demand during the session.
The state’s solar power ambitions were also discussed. While Punjab has committed to generating 7,000 MW of solar energy under the Union Government’s renewable energy goals, Harbhajan Singh admitted land availability remains a challenge. “Due to high land prices in Punjab, we are exploring solar projects in neighbouring states from where electricity can be transmitted,” he explained.
The approvals come as a significant boost to Punjab’s energy strategy ahead of a critical summer season.
