The Central public sector undertaking Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited, now known as NLC India Limited, is gearing up to meet the increasing demand for power in Uttar Pradesh. The greenfield thermal power plant Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power Limited (NUPPL), a joint venture of NLC India Limited and Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (UPRVUNL) is being constructed in Ghatampur in Kanpur Dehat district. The NUPPL project is being constructed based on engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract mode.
The peak restricted demand in UP is likely to cross 27,000 megawatt this summer. The CPSU is set to commence the operation of its first super critical coal-based thermal power plant shortly.
It will be handled by a single contractor and the contractor is responsible for all the project’s aspects, from procuring equipment to building the infrastructure to developing the power plant itself. The NUPPL power plant project received the sanction from the Central government in July 2016. An official of the UPRVUNL said the work was in full swing at NUPPL and all the three units of the plant would be commissioned by the end of the current fiscal 2023-24.
Piyush Goyal, the then Union Minister of State for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy and Mines (Independent Charge), laid the foundation stone of the project. Despite the expected completion period of 64 months, the project was delayed due to various reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
The NUPPL super critical thermal power project is being developed across a massive area of 1,014 hectares. This includes a power plant area that spans 768 hectares and a township project area covering 68 hectares. The township project will consist of residential complexes for employees, a guest house, a hospital and a school. The NUPPL super critical thermal power project’s development cost is estimated to be around Rs 19,406 crore. However, till June 2, 2023, the total capital expenditure incurred was only Rs 15,109.6 crore.
Rapid progress is being made at the NUPPL power plant’s construction site. The super critical thermal plant’s physical progress reached 80.20 per cent in the first week of June 2023. The financial progress is slightly lower, at 77.86 per cent.
The NUPPL thermal power plant has a total capacity of 1,980 MW, with three units of 660 MW each. For the transportation of coal to the thermal power plant, the NUPPL has constructed a rail siding that extends up to 43.2 km in length.
The NUPPL’s thermal power project will contribute significantly to the growth of the local economy. This power plant is also environmentally-friendly, thanks to the application of cutting-edge technologies that align perfectly with the ‘Net Zero’ vision of the government.