Mumbai, April 24 -- Coal India will set up a 1,600 MW coal-fired power plant in Jharkhand in partnership with Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), as the country ramps up thermal capacity to meet rising electricity demand. The project is estimated to cost Rs 165 billion.
The two state-run firms signed a non-binding MoU on Monday to develop the plant, which will house two 800 MW units. It will be built as an expansion of DVC's existing 500 MW facility in the state.
Coal India is already constructing two more pithead thermal power plants: a 660 MW unit in Madhya Pradesh and a 1,600 MW facility in Odisha. Both are expected to be completed by 2030.
Despite India's push toward non-fossil energy sources, the government is betting on thermal power to fill the immediate supply gap as power demand surges and renewable energy projects face slow uptake and cancellations.
Private players like Tata Power, JSW Energy, and the Adani Group are also planning coal-based capacity additions in line with the government's power strategy.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.