NTPC ltd is targetting to commission Unit-I of its upcoming 2x800 MW lara Super Thermal Power Station in Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh in 2018, officials informed.
It may be recalled that the company is also expected to commence coal production from Talaipalli block in Raigarh district by November 2019, official sources informed.
The company had been granted bridge linkage for seeking coal supply from the Talaipalli block by the Union Coal Ministry.
The scheduled date of start of coal production from the coal block as per the Coal Mines Development and Production Agreement is financial year 2019-20.
Notably, the power to be generated by upcoming NTPC ltd’s 1600 MW Super Thermal Power Project (STPP) at lara in Raigarh district will be supplied to Chhattisgarh, Goa and Maharashtra States, officials stated.
The coal requirement for the proposed plant would be met from Talaipalli Coal Block of Mand in Raigarh Coalfields, they stated.
It may be recalled that NTPC’s upcoming lara STPP in Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh has acquired all necessary clearances from the Union Ministry of Forest, Environment and Climate Change for the project, officials stated.
The lara plant of NTPC would be utilising super critical technology for power generation.
Moreover, the company is also now looking ahead with the production of coal for about 3 Millon Tonnes of coal in the current financial year, a company press release informed.
After start of coal production and dispatch of coal from Western Quarry of Pakri-Barwadih coal mine in December 2016, NTPC has now started the same from Eastern Quarry of this mine, as well. Already 56,352 tonne of coal has been mined from this quarry.
NTPC, so far, has produced more than 4.6 lakhs tonnes of coal from Pakri-Barwadih mine and successfully dispatched 58 coal rakes (2,02,480 tonne of coal) to its Barh power station.
In another major development, NTPC has already awarded Mine Developer-cum-Operator (MDO) contract for its Dulanga coal mine, located in the State of Odisha.
The company has been allocated with eight coal blocks, namely, Pakri-Barwadih, Chatti-Bariatu & Chatti-Bariatu (South), Kerandari, Dulanga, Talaipalli, Banai, Bhalumuda and Mandakini-B by Government of India. In addition, Government of India has also allocated Kudanali-luburi coal block jointly to NTPC and the State of J&K, with NTPC’s share of coal reserves in this block being two-third.
From these 10 coal blocks, with a total estimated geological reserves of about 7.3 Billion Metric Tonnes, NTPC expects to produce about 107 Million Metric Tonnes of coal per annum.
Banhardih coal block, allocated earlier to Jharkhand Urja Utpadan Nigam ltd, is now being assigned to Patratu Vidyut Utapadan Nigam ltd (PVUNl), a JV company incorporated between NTPC & Government of Jharkhand.
Notably, the Union Ministry of Coal has also assured Coal India ltd (CIl) for getting Mand-Raigarh railway line project expedited to facilitate growth in offtake of coal from mines under South Eastern Coalfields ltd (SECl) in Chhattisgarh.
This was against the target of 123.89 million tonnes (MT) — a growth of 11.1 per cent.
Notably, SECl is targetting total coal production of 250 million tonnes (MT) from its underground and open cast mines by 2019-20, officials stated.
SECl recorded coal production (provisional) of 12.10 million tonnes (MT) against target of 11.70 MT as on February 2016, Coal India ltd (CIl) informed the Bombay Stock Exchange in its filing.
The Coal India ltd (CIl) is targetting production of 1 billion tonnes of coal by 2020.
Wagon availability will be a key factor for achieving this target by Coal India ltd, officials stated.
By signing of the MoU, the Railways and Coal India ltd will be entering into a strategic partnership which would ensure adequate wagon availability for meeting the transportation needs of coal produced by Coal India ltd.
Notably, the Central Government has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding each with the States of Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh for critical coal connectivity projects to improve transportation of coal, officials informed.
The Union Railway Budget 2016-17 had put Chhattisgarh on Centre’s high priority list among States for its ambitious dedicated freight corridor project implementation plans.
The Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu in his budget speech last year had put high emphasis on ensuring structuring, award and implementation of freight corridor projects in a time-bound manner through innovative financing mechanisms including Public Private Partnership (PPP).
The Union Railway Minister in his budget speech last year had also put emphasis on rapid expansion of freight business to build more dedicated freight corridors for increased traffic with consequent benefits for the economy and environment with Chhattisgarh being the direct gainer from the initiative due to high coal and iron ore movement through the Railway network from the State.
Prabhu had also stated that technological solutions for project management and monitoring will be taken up.
Meanwhile,the Power Grid Corporation of India ltd (PGCIl) has commenced the process of developing the 765kV Wardha-Dichpally-Maheshwaram transmission line in Telangana State for enabling receipt of 1000 MW power supply from Chhattisgarh.
In the month of May last year, the Central Government had also notified generation linked projects in Chhattisgarh and Odisha with a view to encouraging participation of Private sector in building the Transmission capacity in India, officials stated. It had notified 14 power transmission schemes worth Rs 33,900 crore during 2014-15 across the country.
These transmission schemes includes 765 kV and 400 kV transmission system strengthening schemes in the Northern, Western, Southern, North Eastern Regions and would facilitate transfer of Power from new Hydro electric projects in Bhutan and the generation linked projects in Chhattisgarh and Odisha etc.
By the end of 12th five year plan, the power generation installed capacity of Chhattisgarh is expected to reach 22,000 Megawatt, officials informed.
