Lok Sabha Question No. 3923 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-08-13
Subject: Augmentation of Power Generation Capacity by NLC
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: BALASUBRAMANIAM SENGUTTUVAN

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF COAL

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3923**

**TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.08.2015**

**Augmentation of power generation capacity by NLC**

3923.	SHRI B. SENGUTTUVAN:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

(a)	whether any proposal is pending with the Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited(NLC) to augment its power generation capacity in near future, if so, the details thereof along with the power generation capacity likely to be increased as a result thereof; and

(b)	whether the requisite clearance for the proposed enhanced power generation plan of NLC has been given, if so, the details thereof along with the time by which NLC would augment its power generation capacity?

**ANSWER**

**MINISTER OF STATE (I/C) IN THE MINISTRY OF COAL,POWER AND NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY**

**(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)**

(a)	NLC’s power generation capacity was 2740 MW till April’ 2015.  It has commissioned two units of 250 MW each at Neyveli (TPS-II Expansion) and one unit of 500 MW at Tuticorin (NTPL – Coal based) between April 2015 and June 2015. Thus, the generation capacity of NLC has increased to 3740 MW at present. One more unit of 500 MW is at final stages of setting up at Tuticorin.

NLC is implementing Neyveli New Thermal Power Station project(NNTPS) consisting of two units of  500 MW each in lieu of existing 600 MW TPS – I power plant which has served for about 50 years. The projected date of  commission is  October 2017 and April 2018 for the two units.

NLC has also undertaken power generation projects  through renewable energy sources; a Wind Power Project (51 MW) at Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu and a Solar Power plant (10 MW) at Neyveli, Tamilnadu, which  are at various stages of execution.  In addition, NLC has proposed to augment its power generation capacity by undertaking the following projects in the XII /XIII Plan :

| **Sl.No**   | **Name of the project**                          | **State**         |
|-------------|--------------------------------------------------|-------------------|
| **1**       | **Bithnok Power Project (250 MW)**               | **Rajasthan**     |
| **2**       | **Barsingsar Extension TPS/Hadla (250 MW)**      | **Rajasthan**     |
| **3**       | **NUPPL(3X660 MW)**                              | **Uttar Pradesh** |
| **4**       | **Sirkazhi Project(4000 MW in two phases)**      | **Tamilnadu**     |
| **5**       | **TPS II 2**  **nd**  **Expansion (2 x 500 MW)** | **Tamilnadu**     |
| **6**       | **Solar Power at Neyveli Expansion (15 MW)**     | **Tamilnadu**     |
| **7**       | **Solar Power at Barsingsar   (25 MW)**          | **Rajasthan**     |

As per the projection based on above, NLC will have a total generating capacity of about 12221 MW by the end of the XIII plan.

b)	Details/status of clearances of some of the major projects from the above is furnished below:

1. Coal based Thermal Power project of 3x660 MW capacity of Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power Limited(NUPPL)  :-  NUPPL is implementing  coal based Thermal Power project of 3x660 MW capacity in Ghatampur of Uttar Pradesh ( a  joint venture of NLC  with Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited).

Expert Appraisal committee of Ministry of Environ and Forest and Climate Change(MoE&F & CC)  has deferred consideration of issue of Environment Clearance(EC), till Pachwara south Coal block (the coal block allotted to this project) is given Stage-I Forest Clearance. However, MOEF& CC gave  Environmental Clearance for the project on 17.06.2015 with the option of imported coal.

1. **The status of NLC’s Bithnok lignite mine cum Power project(2.25 MTPA mine linked to 250 MW power project):-** NLC Board   on 23 rd March 2015 has accorded approval for establishing the Bithnok Mine (2.25 MTPA of Lignite) cum Power Project (250 MW) project subject to the receipt of Environment clearance for Bithnok Mine Project. For the Bithnok Thermal Power Station (1x250 MW) Environmental Clearance (EC) was obtained from Stale Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Rajasthan on 30.04.2010.

However for Bithnok Lignite Mine, the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) in its meeting held on 03.10.2013 had informed that  EC will be issued only after the Stage – I Forestry Clearance for the forest land involved in the project is obtained .

Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) meeting was held on 3 rd June 2015 at New Delhi to consider Bithnok project’s Stage-I Forestry Clearance. As suggested by FAC, a new Committee  has been  constituted by the State Forest department along with Revenue department for issue of FRA certificate by the District Collector/Bikaner.  Obtaining Forest Clearance from the Rajasthan Govt. for the Forest land of 52.245 Ha is being pursued. Compensatory afforestation land has also been identified. Ministry of Coal has accorded approval of Revised Mining Plan on16 th June 2015.

1. **4000 MW Sirkali Thermal Power Project**

NLC has applied to  Government of Tamilnadu for allocation of 1190.5 Ha of land near Sirkali for development of 4000 MW coal based Power project in 2 phases.  However administrative sanction for land acquisition from Government of Tamilnadu  has not been received as yet.

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