KBUNL, BHEL in pact for Muzaffarpur TPP expansion

Kanti Bijlee Utpadan Nigam Limited (KBUNL), the joint venture (JV) enterprise formed by NTPC and Bihar State Electricity Board (BSEB), has entered into an agreement with BHEL for the turnkey execution of the 2x195 MW Muzaffarpur thermal power expansion project, located at Kanti, in the Muzaffarpur district of Bihar. Valued at Rs 1,076 crore, the contract envisages the design, engineering, manufacture, supply, erection and commissioning of the coal-based power units, on an engineering-procurement-construction (EPC) basis.

The new units will come up at a site adjacent to the existing 2x110 MW Muzaffarpur project. KBUNL has received clearance to commence acquisition of the land required for the ash dyke of the project. The Ministry of Environment &Forests (MoEF) has already prescribed the terms of reference (TOR) for the environment impact assessment (EIA) report. The coal ministry has also granted coal linkage, from SECL, for the 2.20 MTPA of feedstock requirements, while the state government has allocated the required amount of water to the project. The 30 cusec of water needed will be supplied from the Burhi Ghandak river, through pipelines over a distance of about 4 kms.However, the Central Water Commission is yet to provide its concurrence on supply of water.

The capacity of the proposed expansion has been revised from 2x250 MW to 2x195 MW as the plant site is very close to the Muzaffarpur Airport, calling for the chimney height to be restricted to 146.5 m.