Thermax to set up 1st-ever geothermal power plant in Maharashtra

MUMBAI: Energy and environment solutions provider, Thermax, has bagged the contract for setting up the first-ever geothermal power plant in the country in Maharashtra, a state government official said.

A Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU) between the Maharashtra Energy Development Authority ( MEDA) and Thermax is likely to be signed shortly in this regard, the official said.

"As per the terms of the proposed MoU, the company (Thermax) will have to conduct a study to ascertain the availability of high temperature geothermal resources in the area. Once this is done, the company will have to set up at least one 5 MW power plant as a pilot project in the region with a three-year time-line," a senior MEDA official said in Mumbai on condition of anonymity.

The proposed plant would come up in the Konkan region of the state.

The Government has recently given its go-ahead to the signing of the MoU, the official said, adding that the project would be funded by Thermax with the Government playing only the role of a facilitator such as providing land, etc.

"However, the company will have to pay royalty to MEDA. As per the terms, it will also have to give 10 per cent of the power generated to the state's power utility Mahadiscom," the official said.