Nagpur: Maharashtra Government has approved an outlay of Rs 10,625 crore for expansion of Koradi Thermal Power Station to meet the rising energy demand.
The Cabinet meeting held on Thursday okayed a proposal of the Energy Department wherein State would infuse 20 percent of total fund as equity in the Koradi project of Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited (MahaGenco), which comes to Rs 2,125 crore. About 80 percent of the requirement for the project, which is around Rs 8,500 crore, would be raised as loan by the company.
The Cabinet decision gives a boost to MahaGenco’s plan to set-up 2×660 units at Koradi. The new units would be based on super critical technology that claims to have more production efficiency as well as lower emission. The two new units would be in addition to existing 3×600 Super Critical units already in operation at Koradi.
It may be mentioned that the then Maharashtra Government dispensation in June 2019 had given in principle approval to MahaGenco for setting-up2x660 MW units at Koradi. Two old units at Koradi were decommissioned and dismantled to pave way for new2x660 MW Super Critical thermal power units. MahaGenco has already taken over the lease of Gare Palma-II mine in Chhattisgarh State to source coal for the Koradi expansion project.
The company has financed Itwari-Nagbhid Broad Gauge project solely for the movement of coal to new units as the current route of Howrah-Mumbai is clogged and hence the new railway route would facilitate faster movement of coal rakes.
District administration has already completed a public hearing to seek environmental clearance for the Koradi TPS expansion project. The hearing outcome is however still not clear as environmentalists have approached Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court alleging discrepancies on part of administration during the public hearing.
The Cabinet approval of financial outlay on part of the State Government is in fact a de facto nod for MahaGenco to go ahead with the project.
