POWER

Availability of cheap, adequate and uninterrupted power supply is an essential prerequisite for industrialisation. In Orissa, power is generated from two sources: thermal (non-renewable) and hydel (renewable). Hydel power is being generated from the perennial rivers like Mahanadi at Hirakud, Brahmani at Rengali, Machkund at Balimela and Machkund waterfall and Kolab. Thermal power is being generated from coal, mined at Talcher in the Brahmani valley and at the Rampur-Hingir coal fields in the IB valley. Talcher coal is suitable for blending with Coking coal from Jharia, which is being used in the blast furance at Rourkela steel plant.

Orissa's power generation growth is phenomenal. It was only 9.6 MW during the first plan, 260 MW during the second and 429 MW during the third. The state installed capacity in August 1991 at the end of the  seventh plan, stood at 1611.5 MW while the unrestricted demand was 1271.0 MW and availability of power was only 712 MW. This power deficit is crippling the growth of industries in the state. The daily demand for power is more but the supply is limited. Power loss during transmission is another major problem.