OREANDA-NEWS. October 18, 2011. JSW Energy, part of the JSW Group, has started commercial operations of the 4th Unit of 300 MW at its power plant at Ratnagiri, Maharashtra from October 16, 2011. As a result, the entire 1200 MW thermal power plant is now fully operational and is supplying uninterrupted power to the state grid. This is the first power project of over 1,000 MW to be set up in the state of Maharashtra by private sector post the Electricity Act, 2003.

Commenting on the occasion Mr. L.K. Gupta, Jt. Managing Director & CEO, JSW Energy Ltd. said: "The commissioning of JSW Energy's Ratnagiri power plant comes at a critical time when the country is facing a power shortage. This milestone for JSW Energy demonstrates our ability to successfully implement large projects thereby helping the country bridge its power deficit."

JSW Energy has also resumed operations of 2 X 135 MW Barmer power project on October 12, 2011 pursuant to the grant of adhoc interim tariff by Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission (RERC), using lignite from the Kapurdi reserves. The lignite mining by Barmer Lignite Mining Co. Ltd. (BLMCL) has commenced operation upon the transfer of mining licence for Kapurdi reserves in favour of BLMCL.

BLMCL is a joint venture between Rajasthan State Mines & Minerals Ltd. (RSMML), a Government of Rajasthan enterprise & Rajasthan West Power Ltd. (RWPL), a wholly owned subsidiary of JSW Energy Limited with equity participation of 51% and 49% respectively to develop lignite mines in two contiguous blocks of Kapurdi and Jalipa in the district of Barmer. The commissioning of Unit 3 & Unit 4 is also expected shortly upon receipt of the tariff order from RERC.

The aggregate generation capacity of JSW Energy now stands at 2,330 MW. The Barmer project is expected to commission the balance units by the end of the current fiscal 2012.