Simhadri achieves 84 per cent PLF

Despite shortage of coal, Simhadri super thermal power station has achieved a plant load factor of 84 per cent during the current fiscal. Though the PLF for the plant is 91 per cent, this was restricted to 84 per cent in 2013-14 due to coal scarcity, said Asim Kumar Samanta, general manager.

The plant requires about 12 million tonne coal a year, but received 10 million tonne. Of this, about 20 per cent was imported coal. In the current year, the plant is producing 14,720 million units, as against 12,663 million units in 2012-13, he added.

Simhadri stands first among all the NTPC coal stations in auxiliary power consumption and lowest trip, according to him.

NTPC has proposed to set up another 4,000 Mw (5x800 Mw) power station at Pudimadakka village in Visakhapatnam district. For this, it has already signed a power purchase agreement with the state government with 50 per cent power share to home state.

He said if the state government allotted 1,500 acres, the company would start work immediately. "For a greenfield project, the company should invest about Rs 5 crore in each Mw. However, it will be only Rs 3.5 crore in a brownfield project, hence, we are looking to expand the existing plant by 660-800 Mw," he said.

The company has sought only 200 acres from the state government adjacent to its existing plant, as there is a scope to add another 800 Mw.