Nabinagar Super Thermal Power Project
{{#Badges:CoalSwarm|navbar-Indiacoal}}The Nabinagar Super Thermal Power Project (also known as the New Nabi Nagar Project) is a 1,980-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power station under development in Bihar, India.
Contents
Location
As described in the Environmental Clearance, the project site is located near Majhiyan and Ankorha villages.
Background
The power station is proposed by Nabinagar Power Generating Company (NPGC), a joint venture of NTPC and the Bihar State Electricity Board. The proposed plant is located at Majhiyan and Ankorha villages near Nabinagar in Aurangabad district. It is estimated that the project will require 11.25 million tonnes per annum of coal from the North Karanpura Coalfields of Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), a subsidiary of Coal India.[1]
The Environmental Clearance as well as the Ministry of Power describe the project as comprising three 660 MW units.[2][3] The three units are expected to be commissioned in 2017.[4]
NTPC invited bids for construction of its 3 x 660 MW Nabinagar super thermal power project in January 2015. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 291.4 crore.[5] In July 2015 NPGC said the project was 20% complete and would miss its 2017 deadline for its commissioning, due to ongoing disagreements over land acquisition.[6]
According to the India Ministry of Power (September 2017), the units are expected to be completed in 2018.[7] In March 2018 it was reported that unit 1 was planned for commissioning in September 2018.[8]
In July 2018 it was reported that NTPC may stop construction of the upcoming 1,980-MW Nabinagar Super Thermal Power Project and 1,600-MW Katwa Super Thermal Power Project (NTPC) in Bihar and West Bengal, respectively, until it receives “re-confirmation” from the beneficiary states that they still require power from these projects. Power purchase agreements (PPAs) were signed with West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Sikkim and Jharkhand in 2010. The development came after Odisha’s energy minister Susanta Singh recently requested Union power minister RK Singh to cancel PPAs between the state and NTPC for the two power plants, along with the 1,320-MW Pirpainti Thermal Power Station, on the back of surplus generation capacity in the state.[9]
However, according to the India Ministry of Power (April 2019), unit 1 was commissioned on March 29, 2019.[10]
Conflict over land acquisition
Farmers, whose land was earmarked for the project, have campaigned against the project and the terms of acquisition. In early January 2011 farmers sent a petition to the Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar, objecting to the terms of the proposed land acquisition and objecting to the plan to establish the project on fertile farming land. "Even land reforms commissioner Chandragupta Ashok Vardhan had made a proposal against setting up industrial project on fertile land, but attempts are on to forcibly take over our fertile land", the letter said. The land in the area is capable of producing three crops a year. NTPC's normal compensation rate for land for power plants is Rs 5.50 lakh - Rs 7 lakh per acre for setting up power plants. A NTPC official stated that while the project required 2,800 acres of land it had acquired 1,871 acres "on paper only." "If total land is not physically handed over to the Nabinagar super thermal power project (NSTPP) by January end, this project is likely to face a rough weather," said an official.[11]
In November 2011 work on the project site was temporarily halted as a result of farmers opposition. Work resumed after the government increased the amount of compensation paid to Rs 14.61 lakh. The local district administrator stated that all 2,832 acres of land required for the project has been acquired.[12]
In February 2012, it was reported that a stalemate between the Bhartiya Rail Biujlee Company Limited (BRBCL), the farmers, and the Aurangabad district administration continued after 15 days of talks among the parties.[13]
Ownership
The power station is proposed by Nabinagar Power Generating Company (NPGC), a joint venture of NTPC and the Bihar State Electricity Board.[1]
In May 2018, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Government of Bihar and NTPC for NTPC to assume full ownership of the Nabinagar Super Thermal Power Project, the Barauni Thermal Power Station, and the Muzaffarpur power station. The MoU is to improve the performance of Bihar's power sector.[14]
Farmer killed in protest
In January 2011, a farmer involved in protests against the Nabinagar Super Thermal Power Project was reportedly killed. According to the a report in The Times of India, the death occurred during "violent agitation" during which farmers "stoned a speeding train and clashed with police."[15] Also in January 2011, Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) president Chaudhary Mehboob Ali Qaiser condemned the lathicharge and tear-gassing of farmers demonstrating for adequate compensation for land, formed a four-member committee to inquire into the incident, and demanded the unconditional release of farmers held in custody.[16]
Project Details
Sponsor: Nabinagar Power Generating Company
Parent company: NTPC
Location: Majhiyan and Ankorha villages, Nabinagar taluk, Aurangabad district, Bihar
Coordinates: 24.7760001, 84.1580254 (exact)[2]
Status: Operating (Unit 1), Construction (Units 2-3)
Capacity: 1,980 MW (Units 1-3: 660 MW)
Type: Supercritical
Start year: 2019 (Unit 1)
Coal Type:
Coal Source: North Karanpura Coalfields of Central Coalfields Limited
Source of financing:
Permits and applications: Environmental clearance for units 1-3, India MoEF, December 27, 2010.
Resources and articles
Related SourceWatch articles
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Status Update of Nabinagar Super thermal power project", Infraline.com, November 16, 2011.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Environmental clearance, Ministry of Environment and Forests, December 27, 2010
- ↑ Monthly Report on Broad Status of Thermal Power Projects in the Country, Central Electricity Authority, November 2013
- ↑ "NTPC Investor presentation," page 34, August 1, 2013.
- ↑ "Bids invited for Nabinagar super thermal power project," Projects Today, Jan 21, 2015
- ↑ "Deadline miss cloud on coal power plant," The Telegraph, July 19, 2015
- ↑ “Broad Status of Thermal Power Projects in the Country,” India Ministry of Power, Sep 2017
- ↑ "Aurangabad power plant unit to be commissioned in September," TNN, Mar 30, 2018
- ↑ "NTPC may abandon two units if states renege on PPAs," Financial Express, July 31, 2018
- ↑ “Broad Status of Thermal Power Projects in the Country,” India Ministry of Power, April 2019
- ↑ Pranava K Chaudhary, "NTPC project faces land hurdle", Times of India, January 7, 2011.
- ↑ Nishant Sinha,, "Standoff over Nabinagar power plant ends", Times of India, October 23, 2011.
- ↑ "Stalemate over powerplant persists," The Times of India, February 21, 2012
- ↑ "NTPC set to take over one stressed, two under-construction power projects in Bihar," Hindu Business Line, May 15, 2018
- ↑ "Standoff over Nabinagar power plant ends," The Times of India, October 23, 2011
- ↑ "State Cong forms team to probe lathicharge on Nabinagar farmers," The Times of India, January 18, 2011
