'48,060 MW capacity of supercritical technology in pipeline'

Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said as much as 39,710 MW capacity based on supercritical technology has already been added and 48,060 MW of super-critical power generation is in the pipeline.

"All ultra mega power projects (UMPPs) are required to use supercritical technology. Coal-based capacity addition during 13th Plan shall be through supercritical units," Goyal said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

The minister said indigenous research is being pursued for development of Advanced Ultra Supercritical Technology (A-USC) with targeted efficiency improvement of about 10 per cent over supercritical unit.

Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), National Thermal Power Corporation and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited signed an Memorandum of Understanding in August 2010 for the development of 800 MW A-USC indigenous demonstration plant.

According to the minister, supercritical technology has already been adopted for thermal power generation.

The design efficiency of Supercritical units is about 5 per cent higher than typical 500 mw subcritical units and these (supercritical) units are likely to have correspondingly lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions in ambient air.

"A capacity of about 7751.94 MW of old and inefficient unit has already been retired till date," he said.

"To facilitate state utilities/IPPs (independent power pproducers) to replace old inefficient coal-based thermal units with supercritical units, Ministry of Coal, has formulated a policy of automatic transfer of LOA/coal linkage (granted to old plants) to new (proposed) super-critical units," he added.

--IANS

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