In line with the diversification plans of Ministry of Coal, NCL India (NLCIL) is set to establish two thermal power plants, one each in Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Odisha.
The plant in UP being set up in Ghatampur near Kanpur, a joint venture (JV) between NLCIL and the UP government and will generate 3x660 MW power at a cost of Rs 19,406 crore. The project which is in implementation phase will be supplying 1,478.28 MW to Uttar Pradesh and 492.72 MW to Assam, with the first phase of this plant expected to start generating power by the end of this year.
The second plant pertains to the construction of a 3X800 MW pithead thermal power plant at Talabira in Odisha. The project cost is estimated at Rs 19,422 crore and it will supply 1,450 MW power to Tamil Nadu, 100 MW to Puducherry and 400 MW to Kerala respectively. The project is expected to begin by the end of this year and likely to be completed by 2028-29.
Among the other central public sector enterprises (CPSEs), Coal India (CIL) is also in the process to establish two thermal power plants. One, located near Amarkantak, is a SECL-Madhya Pradesh Power Generating Company JV with a capacity of 1x660 MW. The project is in the advanced stage of approval will be implemented at an estimated cost of Rs 5,600 crore, and SECL, a subsidiary of CIL, will invest Rs 857 crore as equity. Work is expected to commence by the end of this financial year, and land has already been arranged.
Further, Mahanadi Coal Fields (MCL), plans to establish a 2x800 MW thermal power plant near its Basundhara mines, with an estimated cost of Rs 15,947 crore.
As per the policies of the Ministry of Power, renewable energy potential is also being created along with the thermal power plant to augment power generation with the combination of thermal as well as solar.
