Chhattisgarh to set up first supercritical power plant in Korba district

Chhattisgarh State Power Generation Company Limited (CSPGCL), an entity of the state government, will set up the first super critical thermal power project (SCTPP) in Korba district.

 

The project will be part of an expansion plan of the Hasdeo Thermal Power Station (HTPS) located in Korba. The station already has a 1,340 megawatt (Mw) plant and the new one with a capacity of 1,320 Mw will come in the same premises.

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 30 laid the foundation stone for the plant that will come up with an investment of ₹15,800 crore. It will have two units of 660 Mw each and is stipulated to be commissioned by 2030.

 

According to CSPGCL officials, the company has set a target to commission the first unit in 2029 and the second by 2030. State-owned BHEL has been awarded the project while NTPC will be the consultant.  

 

The officials said the proposed 660 Mw SCTPP is based on super critical technology having higher efficiency, less coal consumption, and reduced CO2 emission. The proposed plant is a pit head plant, hence the fuel cost will be on the lower side, they said, adding that land for the main plant was available within the premises of the existing plant. Hence, land acquisition, rehabilitation, and resettlement are not involved.

 

The sole beneficiary of the project is Chhattisgarh. The project will improve the state’s power situation and even meet the industrial demand. The project will create employment opportunities in the state while the corporate social responsibility initiatives shall enhance health and education. 

 

With the completion of the project, Chhattisgarh’s installed capacity from its state-run plants would increase by 44 per cent. At present, the state’s installed power capacity is 2,978.7 Mw, of which 2,840 Mw is generated from thermal projects and the remaining 138.7 Mw from hydro. After the commissioning of the project, Chhattisgarh’s installed capacity will enhance to 4,298.7 Mw.

 

The HTPS will also become Chhattisgarh’s biggest state-owned power station after Atal Bihari Vajpayee Thermal Power Station at Marwa in Champa-Janjgir district.