Ramagundam power station

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Ramagundam power station is an operating power station of at least 3400-megawatts (MW) in Ramagundam, Karimnagar, Telangana, India with multiple units, some of which are not currently operating. It is also known as Telangana TPP (Stage IV Unit 8, Stage IV Unit 9, Stage V Unit 10, Stage V Unit 11, Stage V Unit 12), Telangana super thermal power project (Stage IV Unit 8, Stage IV Unit 9, Stage V Unit 10, Stage V Unit 11, Stage V Unit 12).

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Plant name Location Coordinates (WGS 84)
Ramagundam power station Ramagundam, Ramagundam, Karimnagar, Telangana, India 18.7510273, 79.4721746 (exact)

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

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Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):

  • Stage IV Unit 8, Stage IV Unit 9, Stage V Unit 10, Stage V Unit 11, Stage V Unit 12: 18.7510273, 79.4721746
  • Stage I Unit 1, Stage I Unit 2, Stage I Unit 3, Stage II Unit 4, Stage II Unit 5, Stage II Unit 6, Stage III Unit 7: 18.7584502, 79.4573172

Project Details

Table 2: Unit-level details

Unit name Status Fuel(s) Capacity (MW) Technology Start year Retired year
Stage I Unit 1 operating coal - bituminous 200 subcritical 1983
Stage I Unit 2 operating coal - bituminous 200 subcritical 1984
Stage I Unit 3 operating coal - bituminous 200 subcritical 1984
Stage II Unit 4 operating coal - bituminous 500 subcritical 1988
Stage II Unit 5 operating coal - bituminous 500 subcritical 1989
Stage II Unit 6 operating coal - bituminous 500 subcritical 1989
Stage III Unit 7 operating coal - bituminous 500 subcritical 2005
Stage IV Unit 8 operating[1] coal - unknown 800 supercritical 2023
Stage IV Unit 9 construction coal - unknown 800 supercritical 2024
Stage V Unit 10 cancelled coal - unknown 800 supercritical
Stage V Unit 11 cancelled coal - unknown 800 supercritical
Stage V Unit 12 cancelled coal - unknown 800 supercritical

Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details

Unit name Owner
Stage I Unit 1 NTPC Ltd [100.0%]
Stage I Unit 2 NTPC Ltd [100.0%]
Stage I Unit 3 NTPC Ltd [100.0%]
Stage II Unit 4 NTPC Ltd [100.0%]
Stage II Unit 5 NTPC Ltd [100.0%]
Stage II Unit 6 NTPC Ltd [100.0%]
Stage III Unit 7 NTPC Ltd [100.0%]
Stage IV Unit 8 NTPC Ltd [100.0%]
Stage IV Unit 9 NTPC Ltd [100.0%]
Stage V Unit 10 NTPC Ltd [100.0%]
Stage V Unit 11 NTPC Ltd [100.0%]
Stage V Unit 12 NTPC Ltd [100.0%]

Project-level coal details

  • Permit(s): January 20, 2016 – Environmental Clearance; Terms of Reference: 2014-09-16; NGT/Supreme Court orders; Terms of Reference: 2014-09-16; revised Terms of Reference: 2014-12-12, January 20, 2016 – Environmental Clearance; Terms of Reference: 2014-09-16; NGT/Supreme Court orders; revised Terms of Reference:12 DEnvironmental Clearance 2014

Background

Ramagundam power station is owned and operated by the National Thermal Power Corporation. It consists of the following units:[2]

  • Stage I (3x200MW)
  • Stage II (3x500MW)
  • Stage III (1x500MW)


On July 1, 2011, Singareni Collieries Co. Ltd. (SCCL) started the $190-million construction phase of the Adriyala coal project, in the southern Indian province of Andhra Pradesh. The project would aim to extract some 2.81-million tons a year of coal from estimated reserves of 54.36-million tons, located in the Karimnagar district of the southern state. The entire production from the Adriyala coal mine will be linked to the Ramagundam power station. SCCL and NTPC agreed to a long-term plan under which the coal miner would ensure supplies of five-million tons a year of thermal grade coal to the power producer.[3]

Ramagundam power station Stage IV (Telangana Super Thermal Power Station Phase I)

NTPC originally planned to expand the power station by 1,000 MW. In 2010 NTPC received a terms of reference toward Ramagundam Stage IV, which would consist of two units of 500 MW each.[4]

In January 2014 NTPC said it was planning to take up expansion of Ramagundam project, with potential to set up two projects of 1,320 MW, subject to coal linkages.[5]

In July 2014 NTPC said it planned to commence work on the first unit of a proposed 4,000 MW (5×800) power plant at Ramagundam immediately, with the first unit to be completed within 39 months. The new plant, Telangana power station, was expected to come up adjacent to NTPC’s existing 2,600 mw plant at Ramagundam.[6]

In September 2014 NTPC received a terms of reference for two units of 660 MW each (Stage IV, Phase I).[7] In December 2014 NTPC received a revised terms of reference for a 2 x 800 MW plant.[8]

An EIA was completed in June 2015,[9] and that month NTPC applied for environmental clearance (EC).[10] EC was granted on January 20, 2016.[11]

In February 2016 NTPC said construction would begin soon.[12] However, the October 2016 Broad Status report reported construction would start in March 2017. Commercial operation is planned for 2020-2021.[13]

The foundation stone was laid in August 2016, and in April 2017 concrete work on the coal plant began.[14] In December 2017 boiler erection began on the two units.[15]

In January 2023 it was reported that construction of the first unit was complete. [16]

While a news article in March 2023 stated that commissioning of Unit 1 was "under process" and that the unit was "being stabilised gradually,"[17] the May 2023 Broad Status reported that Unit 1 was anticipated to run final trials in June 2023, with an estimated COD of July 2023.[18] The same Broad Status report provided a September 2023 estimated COD for Unit 2 of Phase I (Ramagundam power station Stage IV).[18]

The June 2023 Broad Status report predicted Units 1 and 2 to run trials in July and September 2023, respectively.[19] In the Central Electricity Authority's September 2023 Installed Capacity report, it was noted that Unit 1 had been commissioned and added to the grid.[20] The November 2023 Broad Status report confirmed commissioning of Units 1 in September 2023 while Unit 2 was plan to start operations in February 2024.[21]

In early January 2024, the agenda for the Expert Appraisal Committee's January 2024 meeting stated that an amendment in the EC of Stage IV of the Ramagundam power station (or Stage I of the Telangana Super Thermal Power Plant) would be considered in the upcoming meeting.[22] During the January 2024 EAC meeting, the proposal was deferred, as the committee decided that a site visit was necessary.[23]

Significant rulings

In May 2021, the National Green Tribunal held in abeyance the environmental clearance of the 2 X 800 MW project. NTPC was directed to conduct a slew of fresh studies before it can begin operation of the plant.[24][25]

In July 2021, the Supreme Court of India upheld the National Green Tribunal ruling requiring detailed studies of the environmental impacts of power projects. The most important takeaway from the ruling was that the cumulative impact – i.e. the combined impact of all activities in a given region, including past, present and prospective ones – must be assessed before a new project is approved or during its construction – and not once it has been built. The ruling allowed NTPC to continue construction, but upheld the need for a detailed set of studies. The Supreme Court also directed that the environmental clearance already granted should be kept in abeyance until the mandatory studies are completed and their results have been assessed by an expert committee of the Union environment ministry.[26]

However, in June 2022, the Thermal Expert Appraisal committee recommended the proposal for grant of amendment in environmental clearance for the expansion following additional specific ash pond conditions.[27]

According to the November 2021 Broad Status Report and media reports, the units were expected by March and July 2023.[28][16]

Financing

According to June 2023 Broad Status report, financial closure for Units 1 and 2 was achieved in 2016, however no further details are available.[19]

Ramagundam power station Stage V (Telangana Super Thermal Power Station Phase II)

According to a March 2017 report, the NTPC board of directors has approved the feasibility report for TSTPP Phase II (3 x 800 MW).[29]

In May 2019 it was reported that the second phase of Telangana Super Thermal Power Station was on hold. The State Government said it would take an “appropriate decision at the right time” depending on the requirement of power in Telangana and the cost of energy from the plant. According to the statement, the cost of energy from the project would be comparably high since the Government of India had allotted coal from Madakini-B coal block in Odisha to the plant: “As the coal has to be transported for 950 km., the distance between the coal block and the power plant, the cost of power generation would be high,” the officials said.[30]

As of May 2023, the Phase II extension of Telangana Super Thermal Power Station had not evidently made any progress and had made no appearances in the news. There was also no evidence from the MOEF of beginning permitting applications for the three additional 800 MW units. [31] Without any progress since being placed on hold (shelved) in 2019, the Stage V extension was presumed cancelled in mid-2023.

However, development of the Telangana expansion Phase II (Ramagundam power station Stage V) appeared to be revived in February 2024, when the project was granted fresh Terms of Reference (ToR) by the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC).[32]

Coal supply

In September 2015 the coal ministry allocated Mandikini B coal block in Odisha to NTPC for the full 4,000 MW power station.[33]

Public opposition

In May 2015 locals voiced their concerns at the environmental public hearing for the plant conducted by the Telangana State Pollution Control Board. Land oustees of the project – residents of Khajipalli, Mallialpalli, Kundanpalli, Shalapalli, Elkalapali, Medipalli, Laxmipuram, Kannala, Brahmanapalli villages and other adjoining villages - called on NTPC management provide employment to them, saying NTPC had acquired their land 35 years ago and failed to provide employment. They also sought permanent developmental works in their villages such as provision of water, roads, hospitals and other amenities, and urged the NTPC management to accord priority to environmental protection.[34]

Articles and Resources

References

  1. (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20240218225001/https://cea.nic.in/wp-content/uploads/installed/2023/09/IC_Sep_2023-1.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. National Thermal Power Corporation, "Coal Based Power Stations ", National Thermal Power Corporation website, accessed June 2010.
  3. "India’s SCCL stars $190m Adriyala coal mine" Miners Weekly, july 1, 2011.
  4. "2×500 MW for Ramagundam Stage-IV by NTPC Ltd.," Thermal MoEF News, July 1, 2011.
  5. "NTPC seeks to fast track Pudimadaka project," The Hindu Online, Jan 29, 2014.
  6. "NTPC Ready For 4000 MW Plant In Ramagundam; Asks Telangana For Coal," Telangana Talkies, July 8, 2014.
  7. "Terms of Reference," India MoEF, Sep 16, 2014
  8. New Terms of Reference, Stage IV, Units 1 & 2, India MoEF, Dec 12, 2014
  9. EIA, NTPC, June 2015
  10. Application for form 1," NTPC, June 22, 2015
  11. "Environmental clearance," India MoEF, Jan 20, 2016
  12. "NTPC chairman visits thermal power project site," The Hindu, Feb 19, 2016
  13. "Monthly Report on Broad Status of Thermal Power Projects in the Country," Government of India Ministry of Power, October 2016
  14. "Telangana: Super Thermal power project launched," The Siasat Daily, Apr 19, 2017
  15. "Monthly Report on Broad Status of Thermal Power Projects in the Country," Government of India Ministry of Power, December 2017
  16. 16.0 16.1 "Telangana Super Thermal Power Project in final stages," Telangana Today, January 8, 2023
  17. "First unit of 800 MWs Telangana Super Thermal power plant commissioned and synchronised with grid," Hindu Dayashankar, March 24, 2023
  18. 18.0 18.1 Broad Status Report of Under Construction Thermal Power Projects, Central Electricity Authority, Government of India, May 2023
  19. 19.0 19.1 Broad Status Report of Under Construction Thermal Power Projects (June, 2023) Central Electricity Authority, Government of Inida, June 2023
  20. All India Installed Capacity (in MW) of Power Stations, Central Electricity Authority, Government of India, September 30, 2023
  21. "Broad Status Report of Under Construction Thermal Power Projects" (PDF). Central Electricity Authority. November 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. Agenda for 4th Meeting of the Re-Constituted Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC), MoEFCC, January 10, 2024
  23. Minutes of Agenda for 4th Meeting of the Re-Constituted Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) (Thermal Power Projects), MoEFCC, January 27, 2024
  24. "Expert Panel Ignored Key Issues in Giving Nod to Telangana’s First Super Thermal Power Project?," News Click, June 8, 2021
  25. "Appeal No.46 of 2016 (SZ)," National Green Tribunal, May 27, 2021
  26. "What the Ramagundam Verdict Portends for Environmental Protection in India," The Wire, August 3, 2021
  27. "26th Thermal EAC Meeting Minutes," MOEF, June 15, 2022
  28. “Broad Status Report of Under Construction Thermal Power Projects,” India Central Electricity Authority, November 2022
  29. K.M. Dayashankar, "Pace of progress brisk at TPP Ramagundam," The Hindu, 12 March 2017
  30. "NTPC asked to defer phase-II of Telangana power plant," The Hindu, May 19, 2019
  31. MOEF Proposals for Environmental Clearance MOEF, Accessed May 2023
  32. Minutes of Agenda of 6th Meeting of The Expert Appraisal Committee meeting Thermal Projects held from 27/02/2024 to 27/02/2024, MoEFFC, March 11, 2024
  33. Shreya Jai, "NTPC allotted Mandakini B coal block for 4,000-Mw plant," Business Standard, September 19, 2015
  34. "NTPC public hearing passes off smoothly," The Hindu, May 24, 2015

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.