The New Indian Express ·
Hope sprouts for revival of decade-old Bhoothathankettu hydro power project
KOCHI: A year after the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) terminated its contact with a consortium of Indian and Chinese firms, hope sprouts for the decade-old Bhoothathankettu hydro electric power project. KSEB chairman M G Rajamanickam told TNIE that the board has taken a decision to revive the project.
The KSEB had signed a contract with a consortium of Sri Saravana Engineering Bhavani Pvt Ltd and China’s Hunan Zhaoyang Generating Equipment Co Ltd on March 18, 2015, for execution of the electro-mechanical works of Bhoothathankettu small hydro electric power project with an installed capacity of 24 MW. The contract amount was Rs 81.80 crore and the scheduled date of completion was February 14, 2016.
The completion date was extended to December 31, 2018, considering the delay in completion of civil works. The deadline was further extended to December 31, 2020, considering the flood and Covid pandemic. However, the contractor demanded an additional amount of Rs 34.92 crore for cost escalation, which was rejected by the KSEB.
