Write Comment     |     E-Mail To a Friend     |     Facebook     |     Twitter     |     Print

Could save 800 MW of power this way, says government

Faced with an acute power crisis, the State government is considering replacing all light bulbs with light-emitting diode (LED) ones in households, besides streetlights coming under all local bodies. This, it is believed, will save about 800 MW power.

However, considering the high cost of LED bulbs, the government will convene a meeting of LED bulb manufacturers on October 5.

“The idea is to make LED bulb available at Rs. 100,” said Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar here on Tuesday.

The issue of introducing LEDs in households and local bodies will come up in the next Cabinet meeting. The government is also planning to have a policy on the lines of the Bachat Lamp Yojana programme of the Centre to reduce the cost of Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs).

The Energy Department’s plan to have a dedicated gas-based power generation plant, exclusively for Bengaluru, would be a reality soon, and the process of setting up the plant will commence soon at Yelahanka.

The government is waiting for a no-objection certificate from the Defence Ministry. “It will be 300 MW power plant set up at a cost of Rs.1,510 crore,” he said.

Solar energy park

On the progress of the Solar Energy Park at Pavagada, which is coming up on 12,000 acres of land with an approximate cost of Rs. 20,000 crore, Mr. Shivakumar said farmers have been asked to submit their land records with the Deputy Commissioner Tumakuru by October 30.

The farmers will get Rs. 21,000 as rent per acre a year, which would be enhanced by 5 per cent every two years. “On completion of documentation process, the work will commence with the Centre bearing 50 per cent of the total cost,” he explained.

Power purchase

To tide over the power crisis, the government will take a decision on purchase and production at a meeting of all stakeholders convened on October 1, he said.

The government is convening a meeting with LED manufacturers. The idea is to make LED bulb available at

Rs. 100.

D.K. Shivakumar

Energy Minister