Union ministry allots 2 coal blocks to NLCs power projects

Company mulls to set up 5,980-Mw power plants in Tamil Nadu and UP

The Union ministry of coal has allocated two coal blocks to Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) for implementing its power projects in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.

The corporation is planning to set up a 4,000-Mw, coal-based power plant near Thirumullaivasal village in Sirkali taluk, Nagapattinam district, in two phases. In the first stage, NLC has proposed to set up a 1,980-Mw power project at a cost of Rs 10,395 crore.

The company is in the process of acquiring land through the Tamil Nadu government and for obtaining clearances from various statutory authorities.

Similarly, NLC is setting up a 1,980-Mw (3X600 Mw), coal-based thermal power project at Ghatampur in Kanpur Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh at an estimated cost of Rs 14,375.4 crore. This is a joint venture, Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power Project Limited, involving Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidut Uthpadan Nigam Limited and NLC.

Based on the recommendation of the inter-ministerial committee, the Union ministry of coal has allocated Jigla-Barpalli coal block at Korba and Rajgarh districts of Chhattisgarh for the Sirkali project. This block has coal reserves of 396 million tonne spread over an area of 26 square kilometre (sqm).

For the Ghatampur project, the ministry has allotted Pachwara south block of Rajmahal coal field in Dumka district of Jharkkand. This block has coal reserves of 279 million tonne over an area of 6.5 sqm.

With the implementation of these projects and other projects which are in the pipeline, NLCs power generation capacity will increase to 11,195 Mw. Currently, NLC can generate 2,490 Mw, of which 1,178 Mw is being supplied to Tamil Nadu.