Neyveli Lignite to set up thermal plants in Odisha

The firm is keen to set up a coal-based power station as well as a solar power manufacturing plant in the state

With the award of the Talabira-II and Talabira-III coal blocks in Odisha, Neyveli Lignite is keen to set up a coal-based power station as well as a solar power manufacturing plant in the state.

“Top executives of Neyveli Lignite including the chairman and managing director visited Odisha recently.They have shown interest to put up a thermal power plant and a solar power plant in the state.They may set up a pit-head power plant and we are open to any joint venture partnership. But the specifics of the project like investment and location are yet to be firmed up”, a top government official told Business Standard.

Chennai-based Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd (NLC), a navratna PSU had earlier evinced interest in setting up a 2,000 Mw coal-fired power plant in Odisha through a joint venture with a state government owned PSU. The proposed power plant envisages an investment of around Rs 10,000 crore.

Though the exact location for this power plant is yet to be decided, NLC had preferred to put up the plant in the vicinity of Talabira-II andTalabira-III situated under the command area of MCL.

NLC has decided to foray into solar power generation by announcing to install solar power plants of 50 Mw capacity in Andaman.The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has prepared an action plan for Andaman and Nicobar Islands towards achieving its programme of green initiatives. NLC has been assigned the establishment of solar based power plants in Andaman with a view to phase out the usage of the diesel generation sets in the Union territory.