NTPC Ready For 4000 MW Plant In Ramagundam; Asks Telangana For Coal

NTPC chief Arup Roy Choudhury called on Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and the duo discussed details of the plant, a press release by the Telangana government said on Tuesday. State-run NTPC is expected to commence work on the first unit of the proposed 4,000 mw (5×800) power plant at Ramagundam in Telangana immediately. 

“The Chairman NTPC said that the work at the unit will commence immediately and first unit will be completed within 39 months. Necessary environmental clearances will be obtained by the Telangana government for establishing the unit,” the statement said, adding the new plant is expected to come up adjacent to NTPC’s existing 2,600 mw plant at Ramagundam.

The Chief Minister has agreed to provide the total required land either from the available land or by acquiring from Singareni, it said.  A senior official of NTPC had earlier said the work can be taken up immediately as the power producer has already called for bulk tendering of 800 mw plants.

State government of Telangana, has assured NTPC that it will facilitate coal supply and also take up the matter of coal linkage with the centre.

Due to lack of coal supply, several power production units of both NTPC and private companies have suffered, leading to a power shortage of around 1,000 mw in the Telangana. NTPC expressed willingness even earlier on expanding its Ramagundam plant but asked Telangana to shoulder the responsibility of coal linkage, which is a challenge in itself. How the State Govt. gets the coal now is to be seen.

The currently operational power plant of NTPC at Ramagundam has coal linkage with South Godavari coal fields of Singareni Collaries and Korba coal fields of South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL).