Patna, July 30: Bihar might not have to depend on the central sector power allocation after 2016-17, if everything goes according to schedule. Bihar State Electricity Board (BSEB) recently signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with two private power firms to supply 660MW of electricity from 2016-17.

“The board recently signed a PPA with two companies — Calcutta-based India Power Corporation Ltd (IPCL) and Gurgaon-based Mirach Power Private Limited — for supply of 330MW from each company,” BSEB’s director of public relations and spokesman H.R. Pandey told The Telegraph.

He added that these private power firms would supply 25 per cent of their installed capacity. IPCL would set up its plant of 2x660MW in East Champaran district and Mirach would set up a plant of the same capacity in Lakhisarai district.

However, power supply (of 660MW) from both these companies is expected to start by the end of the 12th Plan Period (March 2017) when these companies would be commissioned.

According to its stated agenda of putting power sector on the front seat, the state government has taken umpteen number of steps to strengthen and improve the power scenario such as setting up own generation units, entering into MoUs with NTPC and others to set up power plants. It wants to take up the renovation and modernisation of its existing plants at Barauni and Muzaffarpur and purchase power from the open market.

Besides this, the state government has recently signed separate PPAs with six firms located outside the state for supply of 3,342MW. The companies with which the board has entered into an agreement are Gajmara super thermal power station, Darlipali STPS, Farakka stage III, Katwa super thermal power station, Talcher stage III and UMPP at Tilaiya in Jharkhand.

Out of six companies, Gajmara super thermal power station, Darlipali super thermal power station, Talcher TPS-III would start its power supply of 640MW, 960MW, 500MW respectively by the end of 2015-16 when the plants are expected to be scheduled.