Hyderabad, Aug 1 (IANS) Telangana’s Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, along with three state ministers, on Friday inaugurated the 800 MW Unit 1 of the Yadadri Thermal Power Station.

With this, two units of the 4,000 MW (5×800 MW) power plant have been commissioned.

The Deputy Chief Minister, who is also the Energy Minister, along with ministers N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, and Adluri Lakshman, inaugurated the unit near Damaracherla in Nalgonda district.

They also laid the foundation stone for an integrated township in Yadadri Thermal Power Station (YTPS). The township is being constructed at a cost of Rs 970 crore on 55 acres.

Unit 2 of the plant was commissioned in December 2024. Being constructed by the Telangana Power Generation Corporation (TGGENCO), it is billed as the biggest thermal plant in the public sector.

The ministers announced that the third unit of 800 MW would be commissioned by October, followed by the fourth unit in December.

Vikramarka said the entire project would be dedicated to the nation in January 2026. He said that due to the negligence of the previous government, there was a delay of two years in the completion of the project.

The Deputy CM said the BRS government delayed the process of seeking environmental clearance, and as a result, the project’s cost escalated significantly.

He claimed that within two months after the Congress came to power, environmental clearance was obtained. He said monthly and weekly targets were fixed for the works, and as a result of these efforts, two units of 1,600 MW have been commissioned.

The Deputy CM said those who gave their lands for the power project would be paid compensation by August 15.

Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Congress government would provide employment to all families who lost their lands for the Yadadri and Pulichintala power projects.

Job appointment orders would be issued by August 15, reaffirming the government’s commitment to fulfilling its promises on humanitarian grounds, he said.

The minister said that the Congress government believed in working with compassion and sensitivity, especially towards those affected by large-scale development projects. The displaced families of both Yadadri Thermal Power Plant and Pulichintala Power Project would be employed in the same plants, honouring the assurance given to them.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that providing long-term housing and facilities to workers is a commendable step.

He praised Deputy Chief Minister Vikramarka for playing a crucial role in reviving the long-stalled thermal project. He ensured the completion of public hearings and secured long-pending environmental clearances, paving the way for the project’s restart. It was his leadership, initiative, and dynamism that brought this project back to life and helped us begin 1,600 MW of power generation, the minister said.

–IANS

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