Chennai power station

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Chennai power station is an operating power station of at least 414-megawatts (MW) in Peria Obulapuram and Papankuppam, Gummidipoondi, Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu, India with multiple units, some of which are not currently operating. It is also known as Gummidipoondi OPB.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Plant name Location Coordinates (WGS 84)
Chennai power station Peria Obulapuram and Papankuppam, Gummidipoondi, Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu, India 13.437422, 80.09788 (exact)

The map below shows the exact location of the power station.

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Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):

  • Unit I, Unit II, Unit III, Unit IV, Unit V, Unit VI: 13.437422, 80.09788

Project Details

Table 2: Unit-level details

Unit name Status Fuel(s) Capacity (MW) Technology Start year Retired year
Unit I operating coal - bituminous 77 subcritical 2010
Unit II operating coal - bituminous 77 subcritical 2012
Unit III operating coal - bituminous 80 subcritical 2013
Unit IV operating coal - bituminous 180 subcritical 2014
Unit V cancelled coal - bituminous 360 subcritical
Unit VI cancelled coal - bituminous 360 subcritical

Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details

Unit name Owner
Unit I OPG Power Ventures PLC [100.0%]
Unit II OPG Power Ventures PLC [100.0%]
Unit III OPG Power Ventures PLC [100.0%]
Unit IV OPG Power Ventures PLC [100.0%]
Unit V OPG Power Ventures PLC [100.0%]
Unit VI OPG Power Ventures PLC [100.0%]

Project-level coal details

  • Coal source(s): imported
  • Permit(s): Terms of Reference: 2015-06-23, May 18, 2011 – Environmental Clearance, March 31, 2008 – Environmental Clearance

Financing

Source of financing:

Background

The first 77MW unit, referred to by OPG as 'Chennai 1', was commissioned in April 2010 and is operated by Tata Power.[1] Another 77MW unit, referred to by OPG as Chennai II, is currently under construction and is scheduled to be commissioned in 2012.

Beyond this expansion, the company have sought approval for a 160MW addition (in two 80 MW phases) to be commissioned in 2013. According to the company, "The land for the project has been acquired and with the public hearing completed, final environmental clearances for the project are expected during Q1 2011. Equipment for the project has been ordered and construction is expected to commence in 2011."[2]In an Environmental Impact Assessment (undated), OPG Power Ventures describes two expansions, one of 160MW and the other of 80MW, for a total of 240MW. It is not known whether the company currently intends to pursue both of these expansions, or only the 160MW expansion described on the company's website.[3]

Chennai III (80 MW) was commissioned in June 2013.[4]

Chennai IV (180 MW, upgraded from 160 MW) began commercial operation in May 2014.[5]

Expansion

In April 2015 OPG Power Ventures submitted an application for a terms of reference for two more units of 360 MW each, Chennai V and VI. The units would bring the power station's total capacity to 1134 MW[6]

The units received a terms of reference on June 23, 2015.[7]

Chennai V and VI are no longer mentioned on the website or in the 2016 annual report. Instead, the company began touting a new 62 GW solar initiative. It appears that Units V and VI have been abandoned.[8]

Coal supply

In the executive summary of the Environmental Impact Assessment, OPG state that the project would source over 2.1 million tonnes a year with 860,000 tonnes from an unspecified Indonesian source and 1.3 million tonnes from Mahanadhi Coalfields.[3]

Water supply

OPG states in its environmental assessment that water for the proposed expansion would be obtained from groundwater sources via a bore well.[9]

Articles and Resources

References

  1. OPG Power Ventures, "Plants in operation", OPG Power Ventures website, accessed January 2012.
  2. OPG Power Ventures, "Plants under development operation", OPG Power Ventures website, accessed January 2012.
  3. 3.0 3.1 OPG Power Generation, "Executive summary of the Environmental Impact Assessment", Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, June 2010, page 3.
  4. "80 MW Chennai III," OPG Power Ventures, accessed June 2014.
  5. "180 MW Chennai IV," OPG Power Ventures, accessed August 2015
  6. Form I, India MoEF, April 6, 2015
  7. Terms of Reference, India MoEF, June 23, 2015
  8. "Annual Report 2016," OPG Power Ventures
  9. OPG Power Generation, "Executive summary of the Environmental Impact Assessment", Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, June 2010, page 4.

Additional data

To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.