NLC India commissions 500 MW Unit 1 of first lignite-fired power plant

NLC India Ltd on Friday said it has commissioned unit 1 of new Neyveli Thermal Power Station with the use of country's first lignite-fired power boiler.

"NLC India Ltd has commissioned Unit 1 of New Neyveli Thermal Power Station -- two units of 500MW each on December 19 at 11.30pm. The formal clearance from Southern Regional Load Despatch Centre is under process," NLC India said.

The fuel for this plant - lignite will be sourced from mines at Neyveli. The main plant packages are supplied and erected by BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd), it said.

This is the first 500MW lignite fired power boiler in the country as the highest capacity of lignite-fired boiler so far was upto 250 MW only, a press release said.

With the commissioning of the unit, the company said the total installed power generation capacity of NLC India Ltd crossed 5,000 MW mark.

The power from the plant would be supplied to Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Puducherry.