CHENNAI To meet the coal requirement of TANGEDCO's upcoming thermal projects, the corporation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Telangana-based Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) to procure 5.913 metric tonnes of coal annually. As per the agreement, the State-owned power utility will excavate coal over the next 25 years.
A senior official told The New Indian Express, "Work on the coal-based North Chennai thermal power station Stage-III is to be completed in August, ahead of trial runs in September. When the power station with a generation capacity of 800 MW begins commercial operations in December, the demand for coal will be high. That's why we (TANGEDCO) signed the MoU with SCCL."
But since this won't be sufficient to generate power in full swing, the power utility has requested the Centre to approve the coal mining proposal in Odisha's Chandrabila coal block, the official added. Another official said the annual coal requirement for TANGEDCO's existing thermal power stations (which can generate 4,320 MW) is 26.28 metric tonnes.
The corporation has procured 19.563 metric tonnes from Mahanadi Coalfields through a Fuel Supply Agreement and 4 metric tonnes from SCCL through an MoU.
Upcoming coal-based thermal power stations
Name Generation capacity (MW)
North Chennai Thermal Power Plant Stage-III 800
Ennore Special Economic Zone 1320 (2x660)
Udangudi Stage-I 1320 (2x660)
Uppur Thermal power plant 1600 (2x800)
Ennore expansion 660