NTPC Barauni power station 250 MW unit to start operation from March 1

New Delhi: NTPC Limited said on Friday that its 250 MW unit of Barauni thermal power station in Bihar is set to start commercial operation from March 1. In a regulatory filing to the stock exchanges, NTPC said that the 250 MW unit of Barauni Thermal Power Station Stage-II (2 x 250 MW) is declared on commercial operation with effect from March 1, this year. With the commissioning, NTPC and NTPC Group's total capacity will go up to 48,895 MW and 57,356 MW respectively, the filing said.

NTPC Barauni thermal power station

NTPC Barauni thermal power station is located in Begusarai district of Bihar. NTPC Limited acquired the thermal power station from Bihar State Power Generation Company Limited on December 15, 2018. The 720 MW coal-based power station has two units of 110 MW each (under R&M) and 2 units of 250 MW each (Under Construction).

The backdrop

The total installed capacity of NTPC Limited is 58,156 MW (including JVs) with 24 coal-based, seven gas-based stations, two hydro-based stations and one wind-based station. As many as 10 joint venture stations are coal-based and 11 solar PV projects. The capacity will have a diversified fuel mix and by 2032, non-fossil fuel-based generation capacity shall make up nearly 30 percent of NTPC's portfolio. NTPC has been operating its plants at high-efficiency levels. Although the company has 15.56 percent of the total national capacity, it contributes 22.74 percent of total power generation due to its focus on high efficiency. In other news, NTPC said on February 27 that it is aiming to utilise 100 percent fly ash produced at its thermal power plants and invited EoI (Expression of Interest) from interested players. NTPC Ltd said that it is proactively looking at new avenues of fly ash management. The PSU has so far signed 25 MoUs (memorandum of understanding) for the supply of about 260 lakh m3 (cubic metre) of fly ash for road projects.