NHDC to foray into thermal power generation

National Hydro Development Corporation (NHDC) will foray into thermal power generation by installing a supercritical technology-based 1,320 Mw power plant in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh.

NHDC, a joint venture of National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) and the government of Madhya Pradesh, has got the approval to diversify by foraying into thermal power.

"The company's general body meeting and its board have approved the power major's plan to diversify in the areas of thermal and wind energy," NHDC Chairman and Managing Director S K Garg told reporters today.

Accordingly, the company has signed an MoU with the government of Madhya Pradesh to set up a 1,320 Mw (2x660Mw) thermal power plant in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh and a 100 Mw wind energy plant in Kukru area in Betul district, he said.

Explaining the reasons behind the diversification, Garg said the company has already set up two hydro power plants on the river Narmada -- Indira Sagar Project (1,000 Mw) and Omkareshwar Power Project (520 Mw) -- and now it is not "economically viable" to set up more hydro power projects in the state.