SJVN gets coal block for 1,320-MW power plant in Bihar

Public sector enterprise SJVN today said it has been allocated coal block for its upcoming 1,320- MW power plant, estimated to cost about Rs 6,900 crore, in Bihar.

SJVN, which is currently into hydel power generation, has diversification plan, including foray into thermal and solar power segments.

The allocated coal block Deocha-Pachami in West Bengal to be shared by the six state power companies along with SJVN Ltd. It has a reserve of 2,102 MT.

In a statement, SJVN said the coal block has been allocated for its 1,320 MW (2 x 660 MW) Buxar thermal power project in Bihar.

"The Buxar project will generate 9,090 million units of electricity at 85% Plant Load Factor. The cost of construction of the project at current price level is estimated at Rs 6,891 crore," the statement said.

Annual coal requirement for the proposed plant is projected to be 6.25 million tonnes (MT).

For the project, the company had inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bihar government in January this year.

SJVN is a joint venture between the central government and the Himachal Pradesh government.

According to the company, its 412 MW Rampur hydro project in Himachal Pradesh and 47.6 MW Khirvire wind power plant in Maharashtra are scheduled to be commissioned in the current fiscal.

At present, the company is running the 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri hydro project in Himachal Pradesh.