Chennai, March 13 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin inaugurated the first unit of the 2x660 MW Super Critical Thermal Power plant, established at a cost of Rs 13,077 crore in the Tuticorin district, on Friday.
The plant, established by Tamil Nadu Power Generation Corporation Ltd, is 6 per cent more efficient than conventional thermal power plants, reducing fuel costs, and also allows for a quicker start-up time for power generation.
Through a video conference facility from the Secretariat here, Stalin inaugurated Unit 1 of the project built in Udangudi, Tuticorin.
To meet the increasing power demand of the state and provide electricity to industrial units, the government has been taking all necessary steps, an official release said on Friday.
As a result of these initiatives, Tamil Nadu has emerged as a leader in the energy sector, the release added, noting that by enhancing the production of thermal, gas, and renewable sources, the state's energy infrastructure has been strengthened.
A unique feature of the project is that it is the first such facility with a dedicated offshore captive port. Coal is transported from a terminal located 9km into the sea via enclosed conveyor belts, reducing transportation costs and ensuring an environmentally friendly fuel supply, it said.
The power generated from this facility will be integrated into the grid through a 400 kV Gas Insulated Substation. The project will increase the state's self-generation capacity and reduce the need to purchase power from the open market.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated 11 road projects completed by the state highways department in Salem, Namakkal, Coimbatore, Tiruvannamalai, Tiruppur, and Tiruvarur districts, at a total cost of Rs 1,843.85 crore.
Some of the major projects launched include the upgradation of the Omalur-Sankagiri-Tiruchengode-Paramathi Road into a four-lane at Rs 985.18 crore spanning 36 km.
Under the Chief Minister's Road Development Schemes, widening and improvement of a 9.15 km stretch was taken up at Rs 59.15 crore, the release said.
In Coimbatore district, Stalin unveiled the Coimbatore Western Ring Road built at Rs 250 crore, a four-lane highway spanning 11.8 km.
In Tiruppur, he launched the 13.49 km Palani-Dharapuram road that has been widened into four lanes costing Rs 87.69 crore, the release added.
Later, Stalin also inaugurated and participated in the foundation stone laying ceremony of Municipal Administration and Water Supply projects worth Rs 265.66 crore, the government said.
According to the release, the Chief Minister inaugurated 45 completed projects valued at Rs 211.90 crore, laid the foundation stone for 9 new projects worth Rs 53.76 crore, and flagged off 28 new vehicles costing Rs 3.28 crore to the department.