Thermal Power

Power Min mandates 40% renewable purchase obligation for thermal plants

The Ministry of Power has mandated new coal or lignite-based thermal plants to either set up renewable energy capacity equivalent to at least 40 per cent of the thermal plant's capacity or procure that much supply of green energy under renewable purchase obligation. Earlier this month the power ministry amended the Tariff Policy 2016 under Electricity Act 2003 to impose the renewable purchase obligation of 40 per cent for the new coal or lignite-based thermal power plants to be set up from April 1, 2023 onwards, showed a notification. "... any generating company establishing a coal/lignite-based thermal generating station and having the Commercial Operation Date (COD) of the project on or after April 1, 2023 shall be required to establish renewable energy generating capacity (in MW) i.e. Renewable Generation Obligation (RGO) of a minimum of 40 per cent of the capacity of the thermal generating station or procure and supply renewable energy equivalent to such capacity," it explained.

Icra revises thermal power sector outlook to 'stable' on strong demand

Rating agency Icra has revised thermal power sector outlook to 'stable' from 'negative' due to strong demand growth and realisation of dues from discoms under LPS (late payment surcharge) scheme. The Icra's outlook for the thermal power segment has been revised to stable from negative, supported by the healthy improvement in the thermal PLF (plant load factor or capacity utilisation) level in FY2023, which is likely to sustain in FY2024, coupled with the reduction in dues from state distribution utilities (discoms), an Icra statement said. The PLF improvement is driven by the strong recovery in electricity demand growth in the country. A sustained growth in electricity demand is expected to improve the visibility on the signing of new power purchase agreements (PPAs) for the thermal IPPs (independent power producers), it stated. Vikram V, Vice President & Sector Head - corporate ratings, Icra, said, "The all-India thermal PLF level is expected to improve from 58.9 per cent in ...

New thermal plants: A reality check

The quest to secure India's energy future should not lead to suboptimal policy solutions

Adani Power's Rs 7000 crore deal to buy DB Power assets falls through

Adani Power Ltd's Rs 7,017-crore deal to buy thermal power assets of DB Power has fallen after the initial pact expired. "We wish to inform that the long stop date under the memorandum of understanding dated August 18, 2022, has expired," Adani Power said in a regulatory filing on Wednesday. Earlier in August 2022, Adani Power had informed the bourses that it has agreed to acquire DB Power Ltd (DB Power), which owns and operates a running 2x600 MW thermal power plant at district Janjgir Champa in Chhattisgarh. Queries regarding the status of the deal sent to Adani Power did not elicit any response. This assumes significance in view of allegations of fraud against Adani group by the US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research. This issue rocked Parliament also earlier this month and opposition had demanded Joint Parliamentary Committee as well as a Supreme Court monitored probe into the issue. The initial term of the MOU (memorandum of understanding) was October 31, 2022. Later the .

A first: DVC seeks to sell 3.7 Gw of power from three thermal units

Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) has issued 'expression of interest (EoI)' for buying electricity from its upcoming three thermal power units totalling 3.7 Gw

5.86 GW coal, lignite based thermal projects non-operational: Power Min

Projects of 5.86 GW out of the total 210.6 GW coal and lignite based thermal power generation capacities in the country are non-operational, Parliament was informed on Thursday. "Out of 210.6 GW (coal and lignite based) monitored capacity of thermal power plants, 5.86 GW capacity is non-operational due to various reasons such as no Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), under National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) etc," Power Minister R K Singh said in a written reply to Lok Sabha. The minster also told the House that out of 5.86 GW (gigawatt) non-operational plants, one plant namely Bela Thermal Power Station (270 MW) was revived on October 2, 2022. In another reply to the House, Singh said the weighted average rate of sale of power came down to Rs 3.40 per unit in 2020-21 from Rs 3.95 in 2019-20 and Rs 3.65 per unit in 2018-19. Similarly, the average price of hydro power came down to Rs 2.64 per unit in 2020-21 from Rs 2.71 in 2019-20 and Rs 2.64 per unit in 2018-19. The average price of

Loans of Rs 7.62 trillion provided to thermal power plants in India: Report

Loans amounting to Rs 7.62 lakh crore have been provided by 84 lenders, both national and international, to thermal power projects in India, with a capacity of 1,000 MW and above between 2005-2022

Jaiprakash to sell cement, power units to Dalmia Group for Rs 5,666 cr

Deal will give buyer entry into high-growth markets of UP and MP, may turn the firm into a net debt company from almost debt free now

India's thermal power generation rises by 16% at 87,687 MU in November

India's thermal power generation registered a growth of 16.28 per cent at 87,687 MU (million units) in November this year as compared to 75,412 MU generated in the corresponding month of previous fiscal. The overall generation of power in the country also increased by 14.63 per cent from 1,02,968 MU to 1,18,029 MU in the reporting month year-on-year. Power utilities' despatch went up by 3.55 per cent to 62.34 million tonnes (MT) during November this year as compared to 60.20 MT in the year-ago month, the coal ministry said in a statement. Meanwhile, the country's total coal output went up by 11.66 per cent to 75.87 MT last month over 67.94 MT in November last fiscal. As per the latest figures of the coal ministry, Coal India Ltd (CIL) clocked a production growth of 12.82 per cent during November, whereas the output of Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) and captive mines/others registered a growth of 7.84 per cent and 6.87 per cent, respectively. Of the top 37 coal produc

Adani, Ambani set to clash over distressed assets of Lanco Amarkantak Power

The direct clash between the two major industrialist groups is set to happen during an auction on November 25

India still a long way from cutting its dependence on coal-fired plants

India is the world's second-largest coal-producing nation (770 million tonnes per annum) and coal accounts for 50 per cent of the 407.79 Gw of electricity generation in the country

REC, PFC to provide Rs 8,520 crore finance for Buxar thermal power plant

State-owned REC Ltd and Power Finance Corporation have inked a pact to provide Rs 8,520.92 crore finance for setting up a 1,320 MW thermal power plant at Buxar by SJVN Thermal Private Ltd. "REC Limited and Power Finance Corporation Limited (PFC) - Maharatna CPSEs under the ministry of power -- have signed a memorandum of loan agreement with SJVN Thermal Private Ltd (STPL) for financing 2x660 MW coal based Buxar Thermal Power Plant (BTPP)," a company statement said. According to the statement, the total estimated project cost is Rs 12,172.74 crore with debt requirement of Rs 8,520.92 crore. As per the agreement, the debt requirement shall be financed by REC and PFC. The agreement was signed in the presence of R S Dhillon, CMD PFC, N L Sharma, CMD SJVN, Ajoy Choudhury, Director (Finance) REC, and V K Singh, Director (Technical) - REC, and other senior officials. Vivek Kumar Dewangan, CMD REC, said in the statement that this is a great partnership for the development of the power

Thermal plants not co-firing enough biomass likely to face penalty

The power ministry would also consider reducing coal supply to TPPs not complying with its policy on biomass co-firing, according to a Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change statement

Adani Power gains 4%, hits new high on DB Power deal; up 47% in one month

The acquisition of DB Power's thermal power assets will help the company to expand its offerings and operations in the thermal power sector in the state of Chhattisgarh.

India's largest floating solar power project now operational in Telangana

Energy conglomerate National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has set up the 100 megawatt (MW) plant through Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) under Engineering, Procurement and Construction contract

Govt to invite bids for power from 8,000 MW thermal capacities without PPAs

The government will invite bids from states to sell electricity generated from 8,000 MW thermal capacities without PPAs, Power Minister RK Singh said

Banks to take Rs 37,200-cr hit by liquidating 10 power projects: BofA

Combined capacity is 10.5 Gw; projects fail to find any takers under insolvency process

E2S Power, India Power tie up for thermal storage facility in India

E2S Power and India Power have inked a pact to work on transforming fossil fuel power station into thermal storage systems for renewable energy in the country

Air pollution: Far and wide impact of Chandrapur thermal power station

Findings from a study showed that effects of ambient air pollution resulted in respiratory and other illnesses

Gencos to face penalty for having low coal stock, says govt

Power Ministry notifies new coal stocking norms, gencos to follow month-wise threshold