NTPC, CIL JV to set up 2 power plants in J’khand of 2000MW capacity each.

State-run NTPC and Coal India Ltd have signed an agreement for setting up two 2,000—megawatt coal—based power projects in Jharkhand under a 50:50 joint venture.“We have signed an agreement with NTPC to form a joint venture for setting up two power projects at Jharkhand,”a Top NTPC official said. Assuming that an investment of Rs 4 crore is required for generating 1—megawatt of power, the total value of the two 2,000—MW plants is expected to be Rs 16,000 crore. The JV will execute the power projects at the Brahmini and Chichro Patsimla coal mines. “The potential of these two mines is 1.5—2 billion tonnes and about 30 million tonnes per annum of coal can be extracted, which is sufficient to generate about 4,000 MW of power,” NTPC is also engaged in coal extraction from these mines and the surplus dry fuel from these coal blocks may be utilised by the company for its Farakka and Kahalgaon plants. “After fulfilling the requirement of the two power stations, the leftover coal can feed our other plants,” .NTPC ventured into the coal mining business with an aim to meet about 20 per cent of its fuel requirement from its captive mines by 2017. The government has so far allotted seven coal blocks to NTPC, of which two blocks will be developed through joint ventures. Coal India will import four million tonnes of dry fuel for NTPC during the current fiscal (2010—11), while NTPC will import 14 million tonnes of coal on its own to meet the shortfall from domestic sources. The company’s total coal demand is estimated at about 150 million tonnes during the current financial year.