No coal in Northeastern coalfields, Margherita thermal plant uncertain: Centre
APGCL was advised to approach the CIL for their coal requirement from the coal companies.
New Delhi, Aug 23: The Union Power Ministry has said that due to non-availability of sufficient coal in the North Eastern Coalfields, it may not be possible to develop the Margherita Thermal Power Project as a pit head plant.
“Central Electricity Authority (CEA) had advised Assam Power Generation Corporation Ltd (APGCL) that due to non-availability of sufficient coal in North Eastern Coalfields, it may not be possible to develop Margherita TPP as a pit head plant as given in the DPR. Therefore, APGCL needs to revisit the DPR,” said Union Minister of State for Power Shripad Naik in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
He further said that if APGCL agrees to the same, then coal from other coal companies like ECL, BCCL, and CCL may be sourced.
Accordingly, APGCL was advised to approach the CIL for their coal requirement from the coal companies.
“However, no communication in this regard has been received from APGCL,” Naik said in reply to an unstarred question raised by Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi.
Assam Power Generation Corporation Ltd had intended to develop a 2x800 MW pit head coal-based thermal power project at Margherita. Accordingly, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) was prepared by NTPC Ltd in 2019 with a project cost of Rs 16,850 crore.
APGCL had submitted a coal linkage request to the Ministry of Coal (MoC) and the Ministry of Power (MoP) for 4.11 MTPA coal from North Eastern Coalfields of Coal India Limited (CIL) at 90 per cent PLF, considering coal of GCV 6,900 kcal/Kg.
“Ministry of Power has not received any intimation from APGCL regarding its intention to abandon the project,” Naik said.
By
A correspondent