Sources add that the third unit of the Lehra plant is currently producing over 100 MW of power everyday since February 5 and would achieve its installed capacity figure of 250 MW by the end of the month.

This addition in power production has come about after nine long years, as the last capacity addition was done in 1999 with the commissioning of four units of the Ranjit Sagar Dam.

When contacted, Member Generation G.S. Sra confirmed that the plant’s third unit had started production, adding that tests are being carried out on the new unit and it would be in full steam by the end of the month.

The GHTP plant at Lehra, which till now had an installed capacity of 420 MW by way of its two 210 MW units each, will have an additional power capacity of 500 MW by April this year. This will be done with the installation of one more unit of 250 MW at the plant.

The work on the third and fourth units of the Lehra plant had been much delayed, as the enhanced capacity was to be done by the end of 2006. Punjab had lost crores due to the delay in the installation of these two units.

The delay, say PSEB officials, was caused by the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), which is commissioning the remaining two units of the Lehra thermal power plant.