NAGPUR: The state’s power availability has gone up by at least 150MW this summer as the first unit of NTPC’s Mouda power plant has started generation at full load. NTPC officials said that the first 500MW unit was synchronized on April 8 and it went on full load on Thursday.
As the plant is located in Maharashtra, as per NTPC norms the state will get at least 30% power. The remaining power will go to four states in western region – Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Goa and the two union territories. There is a possibility that Chhattisgarh may forego its share as it has surplus power, hence it’s share can be purchased by other states from NTPC at higher rate. However, power situation of that state will also be taken into consideration by union ministry of power (MOP).
This unit started generation in 40 months, which is the second fastest for NTPC. The foundation stone was laid on November 22, 2008 and the first contract was placed six days later. The land acquisition for the first phase of the plant was done in record time of five months. Since then Mouda pattern has been used by numerous other organizations to acquire land.
The total capacity of the plant is 2,320MW. The first phase is 1,000MW and second has two units of 660MW. Work on the second 500MW unit is going on at war footing. However, coal and water for this unit is yet to be tied up and are reportedly in the final stage. The work on second phase has not started yet.
The coal for the first unit will be sourced from Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (in Odisha). It will be transported up to Chacher railway station on Howrah-Mumbai main line and then to the plant by NTPC’s merry-go-round railway siding. NTPC has constructed an intake well in Gosikhurd dam near Pipri village of Bhandara district to lift water. The boiler, turbine and generator have been manufactured by BHEL.
Mouda is the first plant of NTPC in Maharashtra. Another plant is being constructed in Solapur. It will take time for commissioning as land acquisition is still going on. V Thangajpandian, S C Pandey and K K Sharma supervised the commissioning of the unit at full load.
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