Neyveli Thermal Power Station I

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Neyveli Thermal Power Station I is an operating power station of at least 420-megawatts (MW) in Neyveli, Kurinjipadi, Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, India with multiple units, some of which are not currently operating. It is also known as Neyveli-1 power station.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Plant name	Location	Coordinates (WGS 84)
Neyveli Thermal Power Station I	Neyveli, Kurinjipadi, Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, India	11.5925145, 79.4738506 (exact)

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Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):

• Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5, Unit 6, Unit 7, Unit 8, Unit 9: 11.5925145, 79.4738506
• Unit 10, Unit 11: 11.5464825, 79.4445033

Project Details

Table 2: Unit-level details

Unit name	Status	Fuel(s)	Capacity (MW)	Technology	Start year	Retired year
Unit 1	Retired	coal: lignite	50	subcritical	1962	2020
Unit 10	Operating	coal: lignite	210	subcritical	2002	–
Unit 11	Operating	coal: lignite	210	subcritical	2003	–
Unit 2	Retired	coal: lignite	50	subcritical	1963	2020
Unit 3	Retired	coal: lignite	50	subcritical	1963	2020
Unit 4	Retired	coal: lignite	50	subcritical	1963	2020
Unit 5	Retired	coal: lignite	50	subcritical	1964	2020
Unit 6	Retired	coal: lignite	50	subcritical	1965	2020
Unit 7	Retired	coal: lignite	100	subcritical	1967	2019
Unit 8	Retired	coal: lignite	100	subcritical	1969	2020
Unit 9	Retired	coal: lignite	100	subcritical	1970	2020

Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details

Unit name	Owner	Parent
Unit 1	NLC India Ltd [100%]	NLC India Ltd [100.0%]
Unit 10	NLC India Ltd [100%]	NLC India Ltd [100.0%]
Unit 11	NLC India Ltd [100%]	NLC India Ltd [100.0%]
Unit 2	NLC India Ltd [100%]	NLC India Ltd [100.0%]
Unit 3	NLC India Ltd [100%]	NLC India Ltd [100.0%]
Unit 4	NLC India Ltd [100%]	NLC India Ltd [100.0%]
Unit 5	NLC India Ltd [100%]	NLC India Ltd [100.0%]
Unit 6	NLC India Ltd [100%]	NLC India Ltd [100.0%]
Unit 7	NLC India Ltd [100%]	NLC India Ltd [100.0%]
Unit 8	NLC India Ltd [100%]	NLC India Ltd [100.0%]
Unit 9	NLC India Ltd [100%]	NLC India Ltd [100.0%]

Ownership Tree

This ownership tree is part of the Global Energy Ownership Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor.

Units 1-9

The power station, which originally comprised six 50 MW units and three 100 MW units, was commissioned between 1962 and 1970. Lignite for the power project is supplied from the Neyveli lignite mine, which is owned and operated by NLC.

Retirements

After the construction of two new units (10-11), the power station's nine original units were all decommissioned by the following dates (DD.MM.YYYY):

• Unit 7: 06.02.2019
• Units 1, 9: 31.03.2020
• Units 2, 4, 8: 08.07.2020
• Unit 3: 30.07.2020
• Unit 5: 5 28.09.2020
• Unit 6: 30.09.2020

Units 10-11

In the mid-1990's the government approved the expansion of the Neyveli Thermal Power Station by two 210 MW units. The new units were commissioned in September 2002 and March 2003. Lignite for the new units was catered from a 4 million tonne a year expansion of the existing Neyveli lignite mine.

Reported pollution

In August 2023, an analysis of environmental impacts from several coal plants and mines in Tamil Nadu found widespread air, soil, and water pollution. New Neyveli Thermal Power Station, Neyveli Thermal Power Station I, Neyveli Thermal Power Station II, and Cuddalore IL&FS power station were included in the study, which was conducted by Poovulagin Nanbargal (Friends of the Earth Tamil Nadu) and the research NGO Manthan Adhyayan Kendra. The study found high concentrations of mercury, selenium, and fluoride in several drinking water sources near NLC mines and power stations. Water samples near the IL&FS plant in Parangipettai contained fluoride, iron, calcium, magnesium, and silicon above legal limits. The report recommended stricter regulation of the mines and power plants and measures to cut effluent discharges and the dumping of coal ash in local waterbodies.

In April 2025, a report by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) confirmed the presence of mercury at up to 115 times more than allowable levels in water bodies and up to 62 times higher than permitted in groundwater samples taken near NLC coal plants and lignite mines in Cuddalore. Of the 17 water samples that TNPCB collected around the plants and mines in December 2024, 15 revealed mercury levels above the permissible limit. The TNPCB submitted the results to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which requested the report following the 2023 pollution findings by Poovulagin Nanbargal and Manthan Adhyayan Kendra. The TNPCB reportedly said that as the water bodies were not classed for drinking water or irrigation use, the high levels of pollution were not breaches of license conditions. Poovulagin Nanbargal challenged the TNPCB’s view on the classification of the water sources, arguing that several of the water bodies are known as drinking water supplies and that the government should undertake a health assessment of residents. The final NGT hearing on the matter is scheduled for June 12, 2025.

Articles and Resources

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.