NTPC to invest in solar power sector in Odisha

The maharatna has also signed MoUs with the AP and MP governments for generation of 1,000 and 750 Mw solar energy plants respectively

NTPC Ltd, a maharatna PSU, that is in the course of implementing two super thermal power plants in Odisha, has now decided to commit investments in solar energy sector in the state.

“The state government has suggested to us that we should invest in solar power and we are okay with the proposal. Nationwide, NTPC has been mandated to generate 3,000 Mw solar power,” said NTPC chairman and managing director Arup Roy Choudhury after meeting chief minister Naveen Patnaik.

NTPC has signed MoUs with the Andhra Pradesh government for generation of 1,000 Mw solar energy and with the Madhya Pradesh government for another 750 Mw, Choudhury said.

States like Telengana and Rajasthan were also looking at NTPC for solar power investments, he added.

NTPC is setting up 1,600 Mw super thermal plant at Darlipalli in Sundargarh district. It hopes to commission the Darlipalli plant by 2018. The company has secured coal linkage for this project in the form of Dulanga coal block with mine capacity of seven million tonnes per annum (mtpa) under command area of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) and Pakri Barwadih block in Bihar's Hazaribagh district with 12.5 million tonne per annum (mtpa).

NTPC has also committed to establish a medical college near Sundargarh at a cost of Rs 350 crore. The medical college is linked to the Darlipalli project.

“A very high class hospital will be built at Sundargarh. Mumbai-based Hafeez Contractor will make a presentation before the chief minister about the architectural design,” Choudhury said.

Besides Darlipalli, NTPC has also proposed to set up another super thermal plant at Gajamara in Dhenkanal district with 1,600 Mw capacity. NTPC will set up a power engineering institute at Dhenkanal that is linked to its Gajamara plant.