New Delhi: State-run NTPC Limited and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) are jointly setting up an 800-MW Advance Ultra Super-Critical (AUSC) thermal power plant, said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday. “A joint venture between NTPC and BHEL will set up a full-scale 800 MW commercial plant using AUSC technology. The government will provide the required fiscal support,” said the minister on Tuesday while presenting Budget 2024-25.

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The AUSC technology has been developed indigenously with joint R&D efforts from Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, BHEL and NTPC.

What are AUSC thermal power plants?

Currently, India’s thermal power plants operate at an average efficiency of 32 percent. Employing the AUSC technology can ramp this figure up to 46 percent. Such higher efficiency is achieved by higher steam temperatures of 710-720 degree Celsius instead of 540-600 degree Celsius used in present power plant technology. Greater efficiency means that the power plant requires less coal per megawatt-hour, leading to lower emissions. According to BHEL, the AUSC technology provides a 10-15 percent reduction in carbon-di-oxide emission compared to sub-critical technology.

Currently, India has a total of 72 supercritical and 20 ultra-supercritical thermal power units. The first phase of the project, which focused on research and development, has been successfully completed. In the second phase, the 800 MW AUSC technology demonstration plant will be set up under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Power (MoP) and NTPC. The demonstration plant will be part of NTPC’s existing plant at Sipat in Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh, according to the Ministry for Heavy Industries. The AUSC technology has not been demonstrated anywhere so far, although the United States (US), Europe, China and Japan are studying and developing it.

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