NTPC Simhadri thermal unit plans expansion.

The NTPC Simhadri thermal unit at Parawada in Visakhapatnam district is planning to add to its present capacity of 2,000 MW.

Group General Manager A.K Samanta told reporters recently that various options were being explored to acquire 400 acres to take up construction of a super critical power plant adjoining the existing power plant.

He said internal assessment was being conducted on the viability of a super critical unit to generate below 1,000 MW so as to make it a cost-effective green power project. He said a brownfield project will have a production cost of less than Rs. 5 crore per megawatt whereas for a greenfield unit it will be more than Rs. 5 crore per megawatt.

He said the 4,000 MW ultra mega power plant at Pudimadaka being taken up by NTPC was a Greenfield project for which clearances were being obtained. Both Parawada and Pudimadaka projects of NTPC were located at a distance of 50 km. The terms of reference and revised layout plan for Pudimadaka project proposed with an investment of Rs. 20,000 crore is awaiting clearance from Ministry of Environment and Forests.

Samanta said there was improvement in raw material security with greater supply of coal from Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd. of Odisha. In the event of shortfall, it was being met by sourcing it from other coalfields or imported coal.

He said the Simhadri station was back to normal generating mode in a very short period of four days after the severe damage caused by Hudhud Cyclone on October 12 last year. He said this financial year the plant would be generating 15,050 million units surpassing the last year's 14,684 MU. The plant load factor, which was 87 per cent this year mainly due to havoc wrought by Hudhud, would go up to 92 per cent next year, Samanta added.


HBL