3,000 Mw NTPC-Kaniha Power plant to be expanded with the addition of another 500 Mw unit

The 3,000 Mw NTPC-Kaniha Power plant, the second largest power plant in the country, will be expanded with the addition of another 500 Mw unit, said R S Sharma, chairman-cum-managing director, NTPC.

“NTPC has no problem in going for expansion as land and water facilities are there. The feasibility report will be ready soon and by December next, the notice inviting tender (NIT) in this regard will be issued, he said during his visit to Talcher Thermal Power Station (TTPS), a NTPC-run unit on Sunday.

Sharma said, the power major will reach close to its targeted capacity addition of 17000 Mw in the current plan period that ends in 2011-12. This year, the addition will be of about 4150 MW and in the terminal year of the plan, the company will add another 5000 Mw to generation capacity.As the proposed North Karnapura and Barh power plants could not come up, we may fall short of achieving the plan target, he mentioned.NTPC, at present, has a generation capacity of 32,000 Mw while work on another 18,000 Mw is in progress.

Besides, it has issued NIT for capacity expansion projects to the tune of 30,000 Mw.

Sharma hinted that the expansion work of the 460 Mw Talcher Thermal Power Station will be over in maximum five years. “By October next the notice inviting tender will be floated for the expansion of two 660 units in TTPS, he said. Lay-out for this expansion is complete and feasibility report will be ready soon, he added.To a query whether NTPC will supply the entire power generated from the expanded units of TTPS to Gridco as is being done by the existing units at the station, he said, it is up to Central government to decide as per the policy.

On the problems of coal shortage, he said, for long term solution NTPC has acquired four coal mines at Jharkhand.The first 15 million tonne annual capacity coal mine will be operational by 2012.Stressing that NTPC always attached importance on the peripheral development, he said, NTPC-Kaniha authorities have been directed to provide new roads in all its affected villages besides covering eight villages under its water supply scheme.

NTPC will also take up the infrastructure laying works for electrification at all the villages located within five Kms radius of the NTPC plants across the country as per the government guideline.As regards to power sale on market rate, the NTPC chief said, the proposal to go for merchant power selling of the expanded units of Korba and Farakka is awaiting the government nod.