Govt mulls 6 mega power plants near coalfields

IN a bid to reduce the country's reliance on expensive coal transportation for electricity generation, the coal ministry is planning to set up massive power plants around its coalfields across the country.

- RAKESH KUMAR

These coalbased power plants, each with a capacity of 5,000 megawatts (total 30 GW capacity), will be built in the coal fields of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Jharkhand. According to the coal ministry, each power plant will be established through joint ventures (JVs) with the government, private power companies, and state-owned electricity generators.

Under the terms of the JVs, the state-owned coal companies will have a stake or equity in the power plants, and in return, the Coal Ministry will provide adequate land, coal, or funds.

To kick off the project, the ministry is creating land banks or acquiring land around its coalfields, and the work on the projects will begin once the general election is over.