NTPC to invest Rs 2,648 cr in developing three coal blocks in Odisha

State-run NTPC has lined up investments worth Rs 2648 crore for developing three coal blocks in Odisha.

The Maharatna public sector undertaking (PSU) plans to invest Rs 684 crore in the Dulanga coal block, which is linked to its Dariplalli super thermal power project that has the capacity to generate 1,600 Mw of power. The power project, which is supposed to come up in Sundargarh district, will attract an investment of Rs 12,532 crore from NTPC.

“The first unit of the Darlipalli plant, which has the capacity to generate 800 Mw of power, is expected to be set up by February in 2018. Commercial operations would take off from August”, said Arvind Kumar, regional executive director (East-II), NTPC Ltd.

NTPC has already invested Rs 4,000 crore on the Darlipalli project. Fifty per cent of the power generated at this plant will by supplied to the state to meet its energy demands.

Apart from the Dulanga coal block, NTPC was also allocated the Mandakini-B coal block last year to help fuel its first 4,000-Mw power plant in Telangana. The Mandakini block will receive an investment worth Rs 1,500 crore.

In the same year, the state-run firm entered into a joint venture (JV) with the Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation Ltd (JKSPDCL) to form a JV company for mining at the Kudanali-Luburi coal block, where Rs 500 crore will be invested for development purposes.

The biggest thermal power generator is massively diversifying into renewable energy, especially solar power. In the green energy space, it is eyeing a generation capacity of 10,000 Mw in the next four to five years.

In Odisha, NTPC has proposed to establish a 400 Mw solar power project with a total investment of Rs 2,200 crore. The solar generation capacity may even shoot up to 1,000 Mw depending on the availability of land, said Kumar.

At present, NTPC is generating 360 Mw of solar energy with an additional 510 Mw to be generated soon after the development work in multiple projects is completed. NTPC also has a good presence in hydroelectric power with a generation capacity of 800 Mw.

NTPC aims to increase power generation capacity to 75,000 Mw by 2025 and continue producing more thereafter.

In Odisha, the PSU has an investment portfolio of Rs 38,189 crore on multiple projects.

NTPC also plans to scale up production from 120 Mw to 370 Mw at its joint venture captive power plant at the Rourkela steel unit. This would require a fresh investment of Rs 1,885 crore.