NTPC cagey on Kaniha plant expansion

by Psu Connect
Date: 25-01-17

Bhubaneshwar. NTPC is supposedly dragging its feet on the proposed expansion of its 3000 Mw super thermal power station at Kaniha.

NTPC had earlier announced ramping up of capacity at the Kaniha station by 1600 Mw through the addition of two supercritical units of 800 Mw each. But, diminishing demand for conventional power with the gaining appeal of renewable power, lack of visible coal sources and paucity of long-term power purchase agreements (PPA) has visibly pressed the brakes on the expansion plan.

The feasibility report for expanding capacity of the Kaniha thermal power station is in progress. Though we have the land needed for expansion, we are yet to get any direction from our corporate centre to go ahead with the expansion.

The expansion will also depend on other factors- all thermal plants are not going on schedule despite the availability of 50 per cent of reserve coal. Besides this, NTPC alone has 19,000 Mw projects under construction”, said Debasis Sarkar, group general manager, NTPC Ltd.

Typically, any thermal power plant needs Rs 4.5-5 crore investment on every Mw capacity created. However, Kaniha being a brownfield expansion will cost us lesser, he said. Odisha is the biggest beneficiary of NTPC’s super thermal power station at Kaniha with a share of 523.44 Mw of the total capacity of 3000 Mw. Rest of the power is shipped mostly to southern states.

NTPC cagey on Kaniha plant expansion

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