Darlipali power station

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Darlipali power station is an operating power station of at least 1600-megawatts (MW) in Darlipali, Lephripara, Sundergarh, Odisha, India with multiple units, some of which are not currently operating. It is also known as Darlipalli Super Thermal Power Station; Darlipali STPS.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Plant name Location Coordinates (WGS 84)
Darlipali power station Darlipali, Lephripara, Sundergarh, Odisha, India 21.963554, 83.89187 (exact)

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

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Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):

  • Phase I Unit 1, Phase I Unit 2, Phase II Unit 3, Phase II Unit 4, Phase II Unit 5, Phase II Unit 6: 21.963554, 83.89187

Project Details

Table 2: Unit-level details

Unit name Status Fuel(s) Capacity (MW) Technology Start year Retired year
Phase I Unit 1 operating coal - unknown 800 supercritical 2019
Phase I Unit 2 operating coal - unknown 800 supercritical 2021
Phase II Unit 3 pre-permit coal - unknown 800 unknown
Phase II Unit 4 cancelled coal - unknown 800 unknown
Phase II Unit 5 cancelled coal - unknown 800 unknown
Phase II Unit 6 cancelled coal - unknown 800 unknown

Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details

Unit name Owner
Phase I Unit 1 NTPC Ltd [100.0%]
Phase I Unit 2 NTPC Ltd [100.0%]
Phase II Unit 3 NTPC Ltd [100.0%]
Phase II Unit 4 NTPC Ltd [100.0%]
Phase II Unit 5 NTPC Ltd [100.0%]
Phase II Unit 6 NTPC Ltd [100.0%]

Project-level coal details

  • Coal source(s): Dulanga and Pakri Barwadih Coal Blocks
  • Permit(s): February 17, 2014 – Environmental Clearance, Terms of Reference: 2023-04-17

Background

In 2012, it was reported that the Odisha government may set up a special land acquisition cell to speed up takeover of private land for a 4,800 MW super thermal power plant proposed by National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) at Darlipali in Sundergarh district. The 4,800 MW power plant would be commissioned in three phases of 1,600 MW (2x800) each. All the three phases were scheduled to be commissioned by the end of the 12th Plan period (2016-17).[1]

In February 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly dedicated the Darlipali power station (presumably Phase I) to the nation of India.[2]

Phase I

In September 2011, BGR Energy Systems announced that it had won the contract from NTPC to supply the supercritical steam turbine generator units for the project.[3][4]

Phase I (2 x 800 MW) received environmental clearance in February 2014.[5] The two units are under construction,[6] and planned for operation in 2018.[7][8] As of March 2017, commissioning was still scheduled for 2018-2019.[9][10]

In January 2019, it was reported that unit 1 was planned for commissioning in March 2019.[11]

Unit 1 became operational on December 31, 2019. Unit 2 was planned for operation in 2020.[12]

Unit 2 was synchronized in March 2021.[13] CEA reported the unit was commissioned in July 2021[14] and NTPC declared it was commissioned effective September 1, 2021.[15]

Phases II and III stalled

As of 2014, Phases II and III were delayed due to land acquisition problem, and NTPC had started looking for alternative sites outside the state.[16]

The site has been the subject of various Forest Clearance proposals since at least 2011. Some early Forest Clearance application documents referenced Phases I and II for a total proposed project of 3,200 MW, indicating that Phase III plans were likely abandoned early on.[17]

Phase II, Unit 3 revived

In January 2021, the Executive Director of the project said talks for setting up a third unit has "just begun." More land would be required in case it was decided to go for another unit, he added.[18]

In November 2022, it was reported that NTPC was resolving forest land issues and that if those were "cleared early," work for the 800 MW expansion would be awarded by FY 2024.[19]

In a Forest Clearance submission from November 2022 (FP/OR/THE/406244/2022), the proposal explained: "Considering the recent power demand trends and retirement of older units (sub-critical) in response to emission norms dated: 07.12.2015& Govt. policy regarding retirement of less efficient older units, the proposal for setting up unit of 800 MW (Ultra-super critical) would help in reducing the generation of greenhouse gases by adopting relatively high efficiency technologies. (...) PPA was already signed for earlier envisaged Stg-II (2x800 MW) along with Stg-I PPA. Re-consent to be obtained & supplementary PPA to be signed with beneficiaries of Eastern Region/ other region(s) for allocation of power from this project."[20]

Terms of Reference for conducting EIA study was submitted in February and granted in April 2023.[21][22] The minutes of the EAC committee from March 2023 noted several additional amendments to the ToR. The committee also noted that Coal linkage is yet to be established and that 159.91 Ha of land is required for construction out of which 54.863 Ha is forest land. The committee suggested the project proponent to reduce the ash pond area and remove the forest area from layout toward downward side. The EAC also noted that the site selected for ash disposal is not suitable and an alternate site should be selected.[23]

The status of the project was therefore revised to pre-permit as of May 2023. In September 2023, the expansion proposal was accepted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change and referred to the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC).[24] However, in late September 2023, the expansion's TOR were revisited for amendment in the Expert Appraisal Committee's meeting minutes.[25] During the meeting, the EAC agreed to TOR amendments which would ease certain ash management and disposal stipulations, on the condition that the following new Terms of Reference be adopted:

"1. Action plan for development of a dense green barrier between boundary of proposed ash dyke and Basudhara River.
2. The action plan for conducting stability analysis (yearly) study shall be submitted after vetting through reputed expert Government Institute.
3. Time bound action plan for development of green belt around ash dykes including existing ash dykes shall be submitted.
4. hydrology study of river and area and assessment of impacts on the river hydrology patterns after establishment of existing plant shall be submitted.
5. Explore the possibilities for reducing the Forest area involved in the proposed expansion."[25]

The updated TOR were granted in November 2023.[26]

Financing

Phase 1: In January 2014, the NTPC Board of Directors approved an investment of US$1,699,065,518 in the project.[27][28]

Opposition

In 2012, it was reported that villagers held a protest meeting seeking cancellation of the project. Other villagers were reported to be eager for the plant to be built but wanted land compensation rates to be increased.[29]

Articles and Resources

References

  1. Jayajit Dash, "State may create special LA cell for NTPC project", Business Standard, January 26, 2012.
  2. PM dedicates NTPC power projects to nation, The Hans India, February 5, 2024
  3. "BGR bas Rs.3,600 cr NTPC contract," The Hindu, September 17, 2011
  4. "NTPC to invest Rs24000 crore in two new projecs in Odisha," DNA, March 3, 2012
  5. Environmental Clearance, India MoEF, Feb 17, 2014.
  6. Broad Status Report, India Central Electrical Authority, February 2015
  7. "Supply of coal to Power Plants," India Ministry of Power, July 23, 2015
  8. "Monthly Report on Broad Status of Thermal Power Projects in the Country," Government of India Ministry of Power, March 2016
  9. "Broad Status Report," India Central Electrical Authority, March 2017
  10. "Broad Status Report," India Central Electrical Authority, Feb 2018
  11. "NTPC to synchronise 800 Mw unit of Darlipalli thermal power plant by March," BS, January 29, 2019
  12. "800-MW unit of NTPC's Darlipali plant becomes operational". PSU Watch. 2019-12-31. Retrieved 2020-01-03.
  13. "Broad Status of Thermal Power Plants," India Central Electricity Authority, April 2021
  14. "Installed Capacity," CEA, July 2021
  15. "NTPC declares commercial operation of 800 MW Unit-2 of Darlipali STPS," Business Standard, August 31, 2021
  16. "Super Thermal Power Project in Offing," Indian Express, Jan 19, 2014.
  17. "Form A," Forest Clearance document, undated
  18. "National Thermal Power Corporation to commission Darlipali second unit by March-end," New Indian Express, January 11, 2021
  19. “NTPC finalises contracts for 4 thermal power projects,” Construction World, November 3, 2022
  20. "Forest Diversion Proposal for the Construction of Additional Reservoir and Unit-III of NTPC Darlipali," FP/OR/THE/406244/2022, November 2022
  21. "Expansion of Darlipali Super Coal Based Thermal Power Project by installing 800 MW (Stage 2)". environmentclearance.nic.in. 17 April 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. "Darlipali Super Thermal Power Project, Stage-II (1x800 MW)". environmentclearance.nic.in.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. "MINUTES OF THE 38TH MEETING OF THE RE-CONSTITUTED EXPERT APPRAISAL COMMITTEE (EAC) ON ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) HELD ON 6TH MARCH, 2023" (PDF). environmentclearance.nic.in. March 2023. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |title= at position 67 (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. Proposal Timeline: Darlipali Super Thermal Power Project, Stage-II (1x800 MW) MOEFCC, accessed: Sept. 2023
  25. 25.0 25.1 Minutes of 47TH MEETING OF THE RE-CONSTITUTED EXPERT APPRAISAL COMMITTEE (EAC) (THERMAL POWER PROJECTS) Expert Appraisal Committee meeting Thermal Projects held from 26/09/2023 to 26/09/2023, MOEFCC, Oct. 18, 2023
  26. Amendment in prior Terms of Reference (ToR) granted to the project under the provision of the EIA Notification 2006 and as amended thereof regarding, MoEFCC, November 13, 2023
  27. "Super Thermal Power Project in Offing". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
  28. "NTPC to invest Rs24000 crore in two new projects in Odisha". DNA India. 2012-03-03. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
  29. "Expedite thermal project, plead affected villagers," New Indian Express, September 17, 2012

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.