Uchpinda power station

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Uchpinda power station is an operating power station of at least 1440-megawatts (MW) in Uchpinda, Janjgir-Champa, Chhattisgarh, India.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Plant name	Location	Coordinates (WGS 84)
Uchpinda power station	Uchpinda, Janjgir-Champa, Chhattisgarh, India	21.8864, 83.12081 (exact)

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

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Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):

• Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4: 21.8864, 83.12081

Project Details

Table 2: Unit-level details

Unit name	Status	Fuel(s)	Capacity (MW)	Technology	Start year	Retired year
Unit 1	operating	coal - bituminous	360	subcritical	2015	–
Unit 2	operating	coal - bituminous	360	subcritical	2016	–
Unit 3	operating	coal - bituminous	360	subcritical	2017	–
Unit 4	operating	coal - bituminous	360	subcritical	2019	–

Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details

Unit name	Owner
Unit 1	RKM Powergen Pvt Ltd [100.0%]
Unit 2	RKM Powergen Pvt Ltd [100.0%]
Unit 3	RKM Powergen Pvt Ltd [100.0%]
Unit 4	RKM Powergen Pvt Ltd [100.0%]

Project-level coal details

• Coal source(s): South Eastern Coalfields

Background

In 2012, the India Central Electricity Authority listed the estimated commissioning date as 2013 for Unit 1 and 2014 for Units 2-4.

In June 2014, it was reported that India’s newly-elected government had cleared the way for several long-delayed power projects to proceed, after they were held up by issues including environmental and financing problems. Projects listed included the Uchpinda power station.

According to a 2014 ICRA investment report on the project, the delays were "due to land compensation related issues and later due to delay in securing funding for cost overruns," as well as with problems in coal block allocation. The project cost had been revised to Rs. 8981 crore from Rs. 6654 crore, and the planned commissioning was 2015.

Unit 1 was commissioned in June 2015, and Unit 2 was commissioned in January 2016. Units 3 and 4 are planned for late 2016-2017.

In April 2017, it was reported that the plant had started supplying 200 MW of power under power purchase agreement to several power distribution companies in Uttar Pradesh. According to a company statement, "The balance of 150 MW will commence pending an approval from UPPCL subsequent to the Champa-Kurukshetra 800 kV HCDC pole and 765 kV Jaipur-Bhiwani transmission line which was commissioned recently."

Unit 3 was commissioned in September 2017. Unit 4 is planned for 2018.

Financing

In January 2009, a financing agreement for unit 1 was closed. US$242 million in loans was provided by Power Finance Corporation, Rural Electrification Corporation, Housing and Urban Development Corporation, Indian Bank, PTC India, and Vijaya Bank. US$69.50 million in equity was provided by Mudajaya Malaysia and RK Powergen.

In January 2009, it was also announced that units 2-4 would be financed together, with a total cost of US$1.1 billion and a 75:25 debt-equity ratio. PTC India committed US$257 million in loans. Other lenders were expected to provide funding as well. Mudajaya Malaysia and RK Powergen provided US$275 million in equity.

Unit 4 listed as financially stressed

In March 2018, the plant was listed among 34 financially stressed power plants in India, with total outstanding debt of Rs 9,145.51 crore.

According to the India Ministry of Power (August 2018): "Due to non availability of [consent to operate], Developer is not able to commission the Unit 4. Tapering coal linkage has been cancelled by [South Eastern Coalfields Limited]. [Power purchase agreement] (PPA) issue- [Chhattisgarh State Power Transmission Company Limited] has expressed inability to off-take power as per PPA."

However, according to the India Central Electricity Authority, Unit 4 was commissioned in March 2019.

Coal supply

In September 2013, project sponsor Mudajaya Corp Bhd signed an agreement with India-based South Eastern Coalfields Ltd for the supply of coal to the power station for the next 20 years. The annual contracted quantity of coal supply was 1.69 million tonnes.

Opposition

On April 30, 2008, the public hearing on the Uchpinda power plant was “marred by violence.” Around 4000 people attended and some burnt banners and protested against the power plant, yet the project was cleared in August 2008.

In December 2009, people gheraoed the manager of the company in charge of the Uchpinda power plant, RKM Power Gen, making him sit in his car for four house until he agreed to look at a village fence that was destroyed by one of the earth-moving machines of the company. On October 12, 2009, people near the Uchpinda plant rallied against the construction work for the plant, resulting in scuffles where people were injured. After an activist, Kesav Siddar, was arrested, nearly 300 people went to the police station and demanded his release.

Starting in 2009, villagers near the Uchpinda power plant in the Dabhra block in Janjgir district of Chhattisgarh began protesting the power plant production. Protestors claim that the acquisition of their land was through an unlawful settlement and have filed complaints at the district level over the land. The protestors have repeatedly tried to write to the district administration, but were suppressed by government each time.

The magazine Tehelka reported that land aquisition for the plant has resulted in local opposition:

TWO-AND-A-HALF HOURS from Akaltara lies Dabhra block, a region that is set to make history for all the wrong reasons. Around nine thermal power plants have been planned in a 10-km radius. Work has begun on three and land acquisition process is on for two more. Most others are in process of getting environment clearances.

A total of around 10,000 acres will be required from Dabhra alone. There were protests when RKM Powergen, which is setting a plant for 1,440 MW, started acquiring land in 2009. Many were arrested and at least 11 were put behind bars under the charges of attempting to murder. Local villagers say that around seven or eight of them are still in jail.

Khileshwar Jayaswal, an advocate fighting the cases of the aggrieved, and a land loser himself, says, “Around 400 villagers, who were engaged in making stonegrinders, have gone out of job due to the land acquisition. Those who did not own the land are now left with nothing.”

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.