The 2400 MW Samalkot power project of Reliance Power in Andhra Pradesh has been simply made to wait in the wings for getting commissioned as the specially empowered group of ministers (EGoM) has failed to meet and decide on the allocation of gas so far.

The Rs.10, 000 Cr power project, a mega venture of the Anil Ambani group, has the potential to reduce power deficit in the southern region once commissioned. “We expect to commission the project by the fag end of 2012,” Reliance Power CEO J.P. Chalasani said in a statement in Delhi today.

Disclosing they have already installed six gas turbines having combined capacity of about 1,450 MW, Chalasani said the project would be the country’s largest gas based power plant and expressed the hope they would get the gas allocation of 9.6 mmscmd per day at the earliest as recommended by the Power Ministry.

Chalasani also said the cost of the electricity generated in the project would be lower since the plant is located at the gas source. “The power generation would go up by 15 per cent in AP and by 6 per cent in the southern region,” he said. (JUBS)