Lok Sabha Question No. 81 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-01-29
Subject: Chausa Thermal Power Plant
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: Shri Sudhakar Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.81 ANSWERED ON 29.01.2026

## CHAUSA THERMAL POWER PLANT

## †81.  SHRI SUDHAKAR SINGH:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Chausa Thermal Power Plant located in Buxar district of Bihar has been partially  or  completely  shut  down  for  different  periods  due  to  unavailability  or disruption in coal supply and if so, the number of days this power plant has remained shut down due to shortage of coal since its inception;
- (b) the consolidated data for the Chausa Power Plant involving its installed capacity, actual generation Plant Load Factor (PLF), coal supply status and periods of shutdown till date;
- (c) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  adopt  any  alternative  arrangements  to prevent a recurrence of the coal crisis such as long-term fuel supply agreements, coal blending or procurement from other sources in view of its crucial role in energy security of the State; and
- (d) if so, the current status thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## A N S W E R

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF POWER

(SHRI SHRIPAD NAIK)

(a) : Buxar Thermal Power Plant (BTPP) of capacity 1320 MW (2x660 MW) located at Chausa, in the district of Buxar, Bihar is being implemented by SJVN Thermal Power Limited  (STPL),  a  wholly  owned  subsidiary  of  SJVN  Ltd  which  is  a  CPSE  under  the administrative control of Ministry of Power. Unit#1 (660 MW) of the project achieved Commercial Operation Date (COD) on 14.11.2025.

After the COD, the 'Unit' was kept in continuous operation to supply power to the State of Bihar and further, the shutdown was required for carrying out some work for stabilising the 'Unit' after completion of trial-run. Eventually, the 'Unit' was taken into shutdown for 20 days (from 15.12.2025 to 04.01.2026) to carry out required work.

- (b): The consolidated data for the Buxar Thermal Power Plant involving its installed capacity, actual generation (PLF), coal supply status and period of shut down are given as under:
-  Installed Capacity: Unit#1 (660 MW) commissioned on 14.11.2025 and Unit#2(660MW) is under construction.

……..2.

-  Power Generation (14.11.2025 to 14.12.2025): 268.635 MUs at 55% PLF.
-  Power Generation (05.01.2026 to 16.01.2026): 91.235 MUs at 70% PLF.
-  Coal  Supply:  under  the  FSA  (Fuel  Supply  Agreement)  coal  received  from  CCL (Central Coalfield Ltd) is 2,53,035 Metric Tonnes (as on 17.01.2026).
-  Period of shutdown: 15.12.2025 to 04.01.2026 (20 days).

(c) & (d) STPL has signed fuel supply agreement (FSA) with Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) for supply of 4.976 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) coal per annum on long-term basis for 20 years at 85% PLF.  As such, no alternative arrangement is required.

Further, the Government of India has adopted a multi-pronged strategy involving infrastructure  development,  policy  reforms  and  production  enhancement  in  order  to meet  the  requirement  of  coal  for  coal-based  capacity.  These  measures  include  the following:

- i. Ministry of Coal has initiated several steps to ramp up domestic coal production in the country in order to achieve self-reliance. Some of the major initiatives undertaken  include  Single  Window  Clearance,  amendment  of  Mines  and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 to allow captive mines to sell up to 50% of their annual production after meeting the requirement of the end use  plants,  production  through  Mine  Developer  and  Operator  (MDO)  mode, increasing use of mass production technologies, new projects and expansion of existing  projects,  and  auction  of  coal  blocks  to  private  companies/PSUs  for commercial mining. 100% Foreign Direct Investment has also been allowed in commercial mining.
- ii. The  Government  of  India  has  approved  the  Revised  SHAKTI  (Scheme  for Harnessing  and  Allocating  Koyala  Transparently  in  India)  Policy  for  Coal Allocation  to  Power  Sector.  Revised  SHAKTI  Policy  will  support  the  power sector  through  greater  flexibility,  wider  eligibility  and  better  accessibility  to coal.
3. Coal Logistic Plan and Policy was launched by the Ministry of Coal to enhance supply chain efficiency, reduce costs & promote sustainability. Under this plan, critical Railway projects have been identified, which are essential for improving rail  connectivity,  ensuring  timely  coal  supply,  and  reducing  logistics  costs, thereby  enhancing  the  overall  efficiency  of  coal  transportation  across  the
- iii. country.
- iv. To  address  the  issue  of  coal  supplies  to  Power  Sector,  an  Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) has been constituted comprising the Chairman, Railway Board; Secretary, Ministry of Power and Secretary, Ministry of Coal.
- v. Coal supply is continuously monitored by the coal companies and also by an Inter-Ministerial  'Sub-Group'  comprising  the  representatives  from  Ministry  of Power, Ministry of Coal, Ministry of Railways, Central Electricity Authority (CEA), Coal India Limited (CIL) and Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) which meet regularly to take various operational decisions to enhance supply of coal to Thermal Power Plants.

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