The Talcher Super Thermal Power Station of the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) limited would commission its 10-MW photovoltaic solar plant complex very soon, said Executive Director of NTPC Talcher-Kaniha VB Fadnavis at a media appreciation programme held inside the plant premises on Saturday.
The solar plants are being set up at Stage-II Township and Patharmunda (main plant premises) with installed capacities of eight megawatt and two megawatt, respectively on 45 acres of land. The work of construction of the plant complex has been awarded to the Bharat Heavy Electrical limited (BHEl).
The foundation stone of the complex was laid on July 3 last year. It would generate 14.1 million units of electricity annually, which is equivalent to the power requirement of approximately 12,000 households.
“With a vision to provide green power through locally available resources at affordable price and promoting clean energy, we have started the solar power plant in our Kaniha complex,” said Fadnavis. Notably, the NTPC has already commissioned two 10-MW solar PV projects in Dadri and Andaman and Nicobar.
In response to a question regarding NTPC Talcher-Kaniha’s next plan, Fadnavis said they have planned to reduce coal import from the Mahanadi Coalfields limited (MCl) from next year as their new coal mining at Kaniha has been started.
Earlier, the NTPC had the lingaraj mines as its only source to fuel their power plant, but now the Kaniha mines would help them become self-sufficient in coal, said the Executive Director.
“We imported around 15 per cent of the total coal consumed by the plant during last financial year, but the newly-operated mines will help us reduce the coal shortage problem further,” said Fadnavis.