CM Lays Foundation Stone for Rs 48,000-Crore Thermal Power Project at Chapar, Assam

Dalim Phukan
Hills Live News, Guwahati . September 20:
Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday laid the foundation stone for Adani Power Limited’s 3,200-MW ultra-supercritical thermal power project at Chapar in Dhubri district, marking what the government described as the largest single industrial investment in the state.
The project, estimated to cost around Rs 48,000 crore, is expected to substantially augment Assam’s power-generation capacity and create employment for around 25,000 people during the construction phase and approximately 5,000 permanent jobs after becoming fully operational.
Addressing the gathering, Sarma described the project as a historic milestone in Assam’s efforts to strengthen its power sector. He said the greenfield coal-based thermal power project, one of the largest in the Northeast, would help meet the state’s growing electricity requirements and provide a more reliable power supply for industries and new investments.
The Chief Minister said Assam’s electricity demand had risen sharply over the past decade owing to industrial expansion, economic growth, increased domestic consumption, electrification of remote areas and railway electrification. He said the state’s current peak demand was around 3,026 MW, while electricity consumption in Assam was growing at around 10 per cent annually, compared with the national average of about 6 per cent.
According to Sarma, if the present growth trend continues, Assam’s daily power requirement could reach around 5,500 MW by 2030. Against the current requirement of 3,026 MW, the state generates only around 400 MW and purchases the remaining power from other states. The Chapar project, he said, would substantially reduce Assam’s dependence on electricity purchased from outside the state.
The project is scheduled to begin commercial generation in phases from December 2030. The first phase will generate 800 MW, followed by another 1,600 MW in 2031, with the project expected to reach its full capacity of 3,200 MW by December 2032.
Sarma said Assam would require two more power projects of a similar scale by 2035 to keep pace with the growing demand for electricity. The state government, he added, was also taking steps to establish pumped-storage projects to store solar energy generated during the daytime for use at night. Plans are also under way for several power projects in Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts.
The Chief Minister said reliable electricity supply was an important consideration for companies looking to establish industries in Assam. He expressed confidence that the Chapar project would improve the state’s power situation and encourage further industrial investment.
He said the government had also initiated steps to create an industrial land bank covering around one lakh bighas so that land availability would not become a constraint for new industries. The thermal power project, he added, would generate employment and promote the growth of ancillary industries in and around Chapar. The BTR administration has provided 700 bighas of land to facilitate the establishment of such industries
Sarma said Assam had received investment proposals worth around Rs 5.18 lakh crore through the Advantage Assam 2.0 Summit held last year. He added that the Adani Group’s initial investment proposal of Rs 50,000 crore announced at the summit had subsequently increased to around Rs 80,000 crore.
Highlighting the need for employment opportunities within the state, Sarma said between six lakh and 15 lakh young people from Assam are currently working outside the state. He said industrial development within Assam would provide greater employment opportunities for the younger generation and reduce the need for young people to migrate elsewhere in search of jobs.
He also appealed to local residents to extend their cooperation in establishing the thermal power project.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Ashok Singhal, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Ashwini Ray Sarkar, BTC Chief Hagrama Mohilary, MLAs Jibesh Ray, Rupam Chandra Ray and Bhupen Ray, APDCL Managing Director Rakesh Kumar, Adani Group Director Jeet Adani, senior officials of the company and the state government, and other dignitaries were present at the foundation-stone laying ceremony.