NTPC's Dadri expansion unit to achieve full load by July end

The sixth 490 MW unit of NTPC`s power project at Dadri, in Uttar Pradesh, is all set to achieve full load by the end of this month, around six months ahead of its original commissioning schedule of January 2011. Over the course of a recent meeting, both, NTPC, as well as the main plant contractor for the project, BHEL, have reiterated their commitment to put this unit on steam by July 31, 2010. NTPC has already completed the steam blowing test for this unit, a major pre-commissioning activity. Further, erection of the coal feeder has also commenced. The power major commissioned the fifth unit of the power station in January 2010, against its original commissioning schedule of August 2010. The fifth and sixth units constitute the two-unit Dadri Stage-II expansion, which is expected to supply power to the NCR during the forthcoming Commonwealth Games.

With the commissioning of the sixth unit, the total installed capacity of the project would stand at 1,820 MW. Stage-I of the project, worth 840 MW, comprises of four units of 210 MW capacity, operational since the early 90s, while the current expansion envisages an additional 980 MW. NTPC is executing two other thermal power projects-- the 3x500 MW Jhajjar and the 2x490 MW Dadri extension stage-II-- in the National Capital Region, to meet the capital`s heightened power demand, which is likely to exceed 4,000 MW by October 2010, at the advent of the US$ 17.5 billion event.