Barsingsar Thermal Power Project
{{#Badges:CoalSwarm|navbar-Indiacoal}}The Barsingsar power station project is a 250-megawatt (MW) coal fired power station operated by Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) in Rajasthan state, India. An additional unit of 250 MW is proposed at the same location.
Contents
Location
The undated satellite photo below shows the power station in Barsingar village in Bikaner district.
Background
Units 1-2
Unit 1 (125 MW) was commissioned on June 28, 2010. Unit 2 (125 MW) was commissioned on January 25, 2011.[1]
Lignite for the power project is being supplied from the Barsingsar Mine, which is owned and operated by NLC. The mine was commissioned in October 2009.[2]
Unit 3
Unit 3 (250 MW) received its Environmental Clearance on July 30, 2012.[3]
In its 2013-2014 annual report, NLC stated the company was seeking environmental clearance for its proposed Palana mine to fuel Unit 3. The company stated that the proposed Palana mine had been abandoned due to strong community opposition, and coal for Unit 3 would be met by the existing Barsingsar and Hadla Mines.[4]
In May 2015 the NLC Board approved investing in the 250 MW Barsingsar extension and Hadla lignite mine at a cost of Rs 2,628 crore.[5]
In its 2015 annual report, the company described the status of the project as follows:[6]
- The Board of Directors of your Company has approved to develop the Hadla Mine of 1.9 MTPAcapacity to set up a 250 MW lignite based thermal power plant in the Bikaner District of Rajasthan, as an extension of the existing Barsingsar Power Project at an aggregate cost of ₹ 2635.04 crore (Nov 2014). The fuel requirement is proposed to be met from Hadla Mine and the Barsingsar Mine. Power Purchase Agreement has been signed with Discoms of Rajasthan. All statutory clearances for both BTPSE and Hadla Mine Project have been obtained. Government of Rajasthan has allocated Mining Lease area of 15.66383 sq.km. It is proposed to implement the above project through EPC mode and the project is expected to be commissioned during the year 2019. The Cumulative expenditure incurred up to 31st March 2015 is ₹ 3.08 crore.
In its 2016 annual report, the company described the status of the project as follows:[7]
- Your Board of Directors has also accorded approval for establishing a lignite based 250 MW Thermal Power Project in Bikaner District in the State of Rajasthan as an Extension of the existing Barsingsar Thermal Power Project at an aggregate cost of ₹ 2635.04 crore with a scheduled commissioning in October 2019. The fuel requirement is proposed to be met from Hadla Mine of 1.90 MTPA capacity and the balance 0.40 MTPA from the existing Barsingsar Mine. All statutory clearances for both Power and Mine projects have been obtained. As stated earlier a combined EOI tender was floated alongwith Bithnok Power Project for EPC. Bidders have been shortlisted on PQR and Techno-commercial specifications have been issued to them. The cumulative expenditure incurred upto 31st March 2016 is ₹ 3.34 crore.
In September 2017 NLC offered to bring tariffs down from the proposed coal plant by about 0.5 rupees per kilowatt hour, taking a hit of 1.5 percentage point to 2 percentage points on the return-on equity. The reduction is to save the plant from cancellation, as the state government reportedly wants to scrap the long-term contracts that were signed in 2010 for the Barsingsar and Bithnok Thermal Power Project, citing the availability of cheaper solar and wind power.[8]
In October 2017 it was reported that soil investigation work for the unit had begun. It is planned for completion in 2020.[9]
However, the February 2018 Broad Status states that "Project activities are under hold from 02.06.2017 due to withdrawal of PPA [power purchase agreements] by DISCOMS [power distribution companies]." The report goes on to state that "GoR [Government of Rajasthan] had informed that due to increased project cost and time over run, Rajasthan Discom [distribution company] will not be in position to buy the power from BTPSE [Barsingsar Thermal Power Station Extension]. NLCIL [Neyveli Lignite Corporation] had replied that delay is due to acquisition of land by GoR and informed to review the decision. Matter is pending with GoR."[10]
Delays
The company was subject to a financial crunch as a result of delays in commissioning the plant. The first unit was commissioned in 2010,[2] but it was reported that as of of October 2011 the unit had not reached its target output.[11] In its July 2010 annual report, NLC stated that the second unit was scheduled to be commissioned in September 2010,[2] but the second 125 MW was commissioned on January 25, 2011,[12] and a media report in late 2011 stated that "the modification works for the second unit are progressing very slowly." The media report also said the station contractor BHEL was "failing to keep its commitment that it will commence commercial operations of the Barsingar thermal power project by end of September 2011."[11]
Project Details
Sponsor: Neyveli Lignite Corporation
Location: Barsingsar village, Kolayat taluk, Bikaner district, Rajasthan
Coordinates: 27.845022, 73.1994259 (exact)
Status: Units 1 & 2: Operating; Unit 3: Permitted
Nameplate capacity: Unit 1: 125 MW; Unit 2: 125 MW; Unit 3: 250
Type: Subcritical
In service: Unit 1: 2010; Unit 2: 2011; Unit 3: 2020
Coal Type: Lignite
Coal Source: Barsingsar Mine, Hadla Lignite Mine
Estimated annual CO2: 2,217,638
Source of financing:
Permits and applications:
Environmental Clearance for Unit 3, India MoEF, July 30, 2012
Resources and articles
Related SourceWatch articles
References
- ↑ "Thermal Units Commissioned During 2010-11," Central Electricity Authority
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd: Directors Report", July 2010.
- ↑ "Environmental Clearance J-13012/32/2008-IA.II (T)," MoEF, 30 July 2012
- ↑ Annual report, Neyveli Lignite Corporation, 2013-2014
- ↑ "NLC gets nod to start two investment projects of Rs 5,328 cr," Business Standard, May 30, 2015
- ↑ "Directors' Report," Neyveli Lignite Annual Report 2015
- ↑ "Directors' Report for the Year 2015-2016," Neyveli Lignite Annual Report 2016
- ↑ Rajesh Kumar Singh, "NLC India Offers Lower Tariffs to Save Power Plants," Bloomberg, September 27, 2017
- ↑ "Monthly Report on Broad Status of Thermal Power Projects in the Country," Government of India Ministry of Power, October 2017
- ↑ "Monthly Report on Broad Status of Thermal Power Projects in the Country," Government of India Ministry of Power, February 2018
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "MoC helps in speedy execution of Barsingar TPP works", AsianPower, October 11, 2011.
- ↑ "Thermal Units Commissioned During 2010-11," Central Electricity Authority
External resources
- "Barsingsar Lignite Power Plant", Global Energy Observatory, accessed January 2012.
