GMR's Odisha power plant starts operation

GMR Group has started commercial operations in the first unit of its 1,400 mega watt (MW) power plant in Odisha.

The group is setting up the coal-based power plant in two phases of 3x350 MW and 1x350 MW, respectively.

"The first 350 megawatt unit of GMR Kamalanga Energy Limited (GKEL) was declared commercially operational today (Tuesday)," the company said in a statement.

The power project in Dhenkanal district, about 100 km from Bhubaneswar, is the group's second coal-based power plant to be declared commercially operational.

The power produced from the first unit has been offered to state run GRIDCO Ltd, as per the long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with the state government.

"This is yet another example of our commitment to on-time delivery of projects, which will now generate revenue and enhance our shareholder value" GM Rao, group chairman of the GMR Group said.

Work on commissioning two other units of 350 MW in the first phase is in advanced stages and likely to be completed by August this year.

When fully commissioned, the GKEL power plant would serve the people of Odisha, Bihar, Haryana and other parts of the country, the company said.

In March this year, commercial generation commenced from the first 300 MW units of GMR EMCO Energy's 2x300 MW power plants at Warora in Maharashtra.

With inputs from IANS