NTPC to raise capacity to 36,000 Mw by March

With the commissioning of two new supercritical 660-Mw units at the Sipat power plant, state-run power producer, NTPC, plans to increase its generation capacity to 36,000 Mw by March next year.

NTPC also plans to invest about Rs 3,300 crore to expand the capacity of its existing coal-based plant at Sipat. The first supercritical unit for the company, with a capacity of 660 Mw, has been commissioned at the plant. It would start commercial operations from the next month. The other two supercritical units of 660 Mw each would be commissioned by March 2012, said a senior company official.

Supercritical units increase the efficiency of the plant increases by about two per cent, and result in lower fuel consumption and carbon emissions, the company said.

 

NTPC may also set up another supercritical 660-Mw unit at Sipat in the future. Of the total envisaged capacity of 2,980 Mw, the current operational capacity of the Sipat plant stands at 1,000 Mw. Two 500-Mw units are already operational.

The company plans to add 4,320 Mw in 2011-12 to its existing capacity of 34,194 Mw. Currently, it has 15 power projects under construction, with a total capacity of 14,748 Mw. It plans to raise the total generation capacity to 75,000 Mw by 2017 and 128,000 Mw by 2032.

NTPC had recently announced its foray into the Sri Lankan market. It has signed an agreement with the Ceylon Electricity Board (Sri Lanka) for setting up a 500-Mw power station at Trincomalee in Sri Lanka. The power plant is estimated to cost around Rs 3,150 crore ($700 million).

The company also plans to set up two power plants in Bangladesh, with a capacity for about 1,320 Mw and an estimated cost of Rs 7,000-8,000 crore. A memorandum of understanding on the proposed project has been signed with the Bangladesh board.