OPGC to complete 1,320-Mw Odisha expansion project worth Rs 11,000 cr soon

Commercial operations to start soon and 100% of the power generated to go to Gridco, says senior company official

State-run thermal power producer Odisha Power Generation Corporation Ltd (OPGC) is on the verge of commissioning a 1,320-Mw (660x2 units) project at Jharsuguda. OPGC is adding two 660-Mw supercritical units as part of its expansion at Ib Valley at a cost of about Rs 11,000 crore. 
 

"The process of commissioning of third and fourth units ( 2x 660 Mw) has already started. The commercial operations will start anytime soon. Hundred per cent of the power generated from these two units will go to Gridco," said a senior OPGC official. He added that the expansion was taken up at an investment of Rs 11,000 crore. 

OPGC is a 51:49 joint venture company between the Odisha government and US-based energy major AES Ltd. The generator has been awarded the Manoharpur and Manoharpur dip side coal blocks. 
 

The captive coal blocks have been awarded to Odisha Coal & Power Ltd (OCPL), a 51:49 joint venture between two state-run entities -- OPGC and Odisha Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC). Both the coal blocks have a combined coal deposit of 531 million tonnes (mt). OCPL has proposed to invest Rs 1,500 crore in developing the blocks, whose annual mining capacity is pegged at 8 mt. 

"OPGC has provided the tentative generation plan for generation from its upcoming expansion project... In this regard, it is to be noted here that as per the approved power purchase agreement (PPA), Gridco is having entitlement of 50 per cent contracted capacity from OPGC at CERC determined tariff," Gridco said in its aggregate revenue requirement (ARR) and bulk supply price (BSP) application before the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC). Out of the total projected generation plan of 9172.502 million units of energy sent out (ESO), Gridco will have entitlement of 4854.088MU (gross generation).

Gridco is already availing of 100 per cent power from the first two units of 210 Mw each.