NTPC-Kaniha to dump ash in abandoned coal mine

After 15 years of commissioning of the 3000 MW NTPC-Kaniha super thermal power plant, the power plant authorities would finally get to evacuate the huge pile of fly ash from the ash pond and dump it in an abandoned coal mine at Talcher Coalfields under the command area of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL).The process of dumping of fly ash in the abandoned mine is set to begin from 2013.

It may be noted that the huge stockpile of ash generated by the power station was a major constraint to any expansion plan of the plant. NTPC Kaniha had started functioning from 1995 and since then, there was no proper evacuation of fly ash from the four ash ponds.

“Finally, we have got the abandoned Jagannath coal mine at Talcher where we would dump our ashes. NTPC has asked the consultants, Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI) to suggest the modes of dispatch since the mine is located at a distance of 40 km from the plant”, R Venkataswaran, executive director of NTPC-Kaniha told.

“At this point of time, the road dispatch of ash cannot be ruled out even tough it is costlier. The enormity of traffic and pollution will be taken into consideration before reaching at any conclusion”, he added.

CMPDI will complete its study on the mode of dispatch by the end of this year and tendering process will start next year, Venkateswaran stated. The flow of ash from the power plant to the abandoned mine is expected to start from 2013. NTPC-Kaniha has four ash ponds.

The daily coal consumption of the plant ranges from 52000-55000 tonnes and about 23000 tonnes of ash is generated every day which is dumped into the ash ponds. The NTPC authorities have been managing the ash ponds all these years by raising the ash dykes. The stage one ash ponds have reached saturation with three to four raisings. A maximum of four raisings is permissible.