Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will dedicate the ambitious 2,980 MW, having three units of 660 MW and two units of 500 MW Sipat Super Thermal Power Station, to the nation on Thursday, an official statement said.
The NTPC-Sipat project is located in Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh, about 130 km from state capital Raipur. The foundation stone of 1,600 MW Stage-I of NTPC- lara Super Thermal Power Project situated in lara village in Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh will also be laid by the Prime Minister on Thursday. The project will have two units of 800 MW in stage-I and will have an ultimate installed capacity of 4000 MW.
Chhattisgarh Governor Shekhar Dutt, Chief Minister Raman Singh, Union Minister of State for Power (Independent Charge) Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries Dr Charan Das Mahant, Congress treasurer Motilal Vora, Member of Parliament from Raigarh Vishnu Deo Sai, Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi Secretary (Power), Govt. of India P.K. Sinha and Chhattisgarh chief secretary Sunil Kumar besides Arup Roy Choudhury, CMD, NTPC and other leading dignitaries are expected to attend the programme.
Part of NTPC’s Western Region II, NTPC Sipat ensures 2980 MW electricity for the nation’s development from the power-surplus Chhattisgarh. lara project will give an additional 1600 MW to the nation’s energy requirement on its commissioning. It will provide power to the States of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Daman & Diu as also Dadra & Nagar Haveli. Super critical Sipat station has three 660 MW environment friendly units having higher operating efficiency which is one of the firsts among the glorious chapters of NTPC’s service to the nation. The project has distinction of having large 765 KV switchyard for power evacuation which also is the first in the country.
NTPC sources the coal from Korba’s Dipka extension mines of South Eastern Coalfields ltd. for the project for Sipat. The fuel is transported through NTPC’s own merry-go-round rail transportation system. The water for the plant is sourced through a 16-km pipeline from the right bank of the Hasdeo barrage canal, from Hardivishal village in the district.
NTPC-Sipat project has been set up in nascent vegetation. With a view to conserving the environment, the project has 275 meter high chimneys, and higher efficiency static precipitators (ESPs). A 50-meter Green Belt is being developed around the projects. Saplings have already been planted in nearby villages, on both sides of state highway, and on the approach roads.
For all construction activities at the site, only ash bricks are being used. The reuse of treated effluent for maintaining Zero Discharge has been put in place. The ash ponds have been designed to ensure water cover to avoid fugitive dust. The ash water recirculation system has also been put into places to reuse the water and reduce its consumption.
The lara Super Thermal Power Project is situated in lara village of Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh state. The estimated cost of this 1600 MW stage-I of the project is put at Rs. 11,741 crores. As per the MoU signed between Chhattisgarh government and the NTPC on July 12, 2009, Chhattisgarh will be getting 50 per cent of the generated power and the remaining 50 per cent will be shared by other states- Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Daman and Diu as also Dadar and Nagar Haveli.
lara Project is a part of NTPC’s Western Region-II and the project paves the way for achieving self-sufficiency in the region. Presently, the installed capacity of the region is 9840 MW with three operating stations at Vindhyachal (4260MW), Korba (2600MW) and Sipat (2980 MW).
The coal requirements of the project will be from Talaipalli coal blocks allotted to the NTPC. For Stage-I, the coal requirement is put at 7 MTPA at 90 per cent Plant load Factor. For water requirements, the Chhattisgarh government has given commitment for water supply from Saradih barrage on Mahanadi river for Stage-I requirement and 68 MCM for Stage-II requirements.
For the local communities, lara project would offer an excellent win-win situation, both in terms of CSR-CD and employment generation. NTPC has already started its R&R, CSR activities and infrastructural facilities for the benefit of the people living in the vicinity.