BALCO Korba power station

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BALCO Korba power station is an operating power station of at least 2010-megawatts (MW) in Korba, Chhattisgarh, India.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Plant name Location Coordinates (WGS 84)
BALCO Korba power station Korba, Korba, Korba, Chhattisgarh, India 22.3930944, 82.7439443 (exact)

The map below shows the exact location of the power station.

Loading map...


Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):

  • Phase 1 Unit 1, Phase 1 Unit 2, Phase 1 Unit 3, Phase 1 Unit 4: 22.3930944, 82.7439443
  • Phase 2 Unit 1, Phase 2 Unit 2, Phase 2 Unit 3, Phase 2 Unit 4: 22.3978019, 82.7401642
  • Phase 3 Unit 1, Phase 3 Unit 2, Phase 3 Unit 3, Phase 3 Unit 4: 22.3989968, 82.7400112

Project Details

Table 2: Unit-level details

Unit name Status Fuel(s) Capacity (MW) Technology Start year
Phase 1 Unit 1 operating coal: unknown 67.5 subcritical 1988
Phase 1 Unit 2 operating coal: unknown 67.5 subcritical 1988
Phase 1 Unit 3 operating coal: unknown 67.5 subcritical 1988
Phase 1 Unit 4 operating coal: unknown 67.5 subcritical 1988
Phase 2 Unit 1 operating coal: bituminous 135 subcritical 2005
Phase 2 Unit 2 operating coal: bituminous 135 subcritical 2005
Phase 2 Unit 3 operating coal: bituminous 135 subcritical 2006
Phase 2 Unit 4 operating coal: bituminous 135 subcritical 2006
Phase 3 Unit 1 operating coal: bituminous 300 subcritical 2015
Phase 3 Unit 2 operating coal: bituminous 300 subcritical 2016
Phase 3 Unit 3 operating coal: bituminous 300 subcritical 2013
Phase 3 Unit 4 operating coal: bituminous 300 subcritical 2013

Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details

Unit name Owner Parent
Phase 1 Unit 1 Bharat Aluminium Co Ltd [100%] Vedanta Ltd [51.0%]; Government of India [49.0%]
Phase 1 Unit 2 Bharat Aluminium Co Ltd [100%] Vedanta Ltd [51.0%]; Government of India [49.0%]
Phase 1 Unit 3 Bharat Aluminium Co Ltd [100%] Vedanta Ltd [51.0%]; Government of India [49.0%]
Phase 1 Unit 4 Bharat Aluminium Co Ltd [100%] Vedanta Ltd [51.0%]; Government of India [49.0%]
Phase 2 Unit 1 Bharat Aluminium Co Ltd [100%] Vedanta Ltd [51.0%]; Government of India [49.0%]
Phase 2 Unit 2 Bharat Aluminium Co Ltd [100%] Vedanta Ltd [51.0%]; Government of India [49.0%]
Phase 2 Unit 3 Bharat Aluminium Co Ltd [100%] Vedanta Ltd [51.0%]; Government of India [49.0%]
Phase 2 Unit 4 Bharat Aluminium Co Ltd [100%] Vedanta Ltd [51.0%]; Government of India [49.0%]
Phase 3 Unit 1 Bharat Aluminium Co Ltd [100%] Vedanta Ltd [51.0%]; Government of India [49.0%]
Phase 3 Unit 2 Bharat Aluminium Co Ltd [100%] Vedanta Ltd [51.0%]; Government of India [49.0%]
Phase 3 Unit 3 Bharat Aluminium Co Ltd [100%] Vedanta Ltd [51.0%]; Government of India [49.0%]
Phase 3 Unit 4 Bharat Aluminium Co Ltd [100%] Vedanta Ltd [51.0%]; Government of India [49.0%]

Project-level captive use details

  • Captive industry use (heat or power): power
  • Captive industry: Aluminum


Financing

Source of financing:

Background

Balco-1 is a 4 x 67.5 MW coal plant built in 1988. Balco-2 is a 4 x 135 MW coal plant built in 2005-2006.[1]

Balco-3

The captive power station would provided electricity to a new 325,000 tonne per annum aluminum smelter within the existing Korba Aluminium Complex.[2]

Prior to 2012, the Central Electricity Authority reported regularly in its "Broad Status Reports" that four units of 300 MW each were under construction. As shown in Google Earth's archival photos, two of the units were structurally completed in 2012 and two of the units were structurally complete in 2013. Based on these photos, it appears that Units 3 and 4, which are used for captive power by the company, were completed in 2012 or 2013. In September 2012, the Central Electricity Authority reported that Units 1 and 2, which will generate electricity for the grid, would be be commissioned in 2013-2014. The CEA no longer provided information on Units 3 and 4. It is not clear whether the absence of further information on Units 3 and 4 is related to the 2009 construction accident that claimed at least 45 lives.[3][4]

In December 2012 the license for the aluminum factory was terminated, and government officials said Balco had to get the required permits again.[5] Balco received approval for a 1200 MW plant in January 2015.[6]

In March 2015 unit 1 was under trial run,[7] and was commissioned in June 2015. The second unit is expected to be commissioned in 2016,[8] and was commissioned in March 2016. No dates are given for units 3 and 4.[9]

In September 2015 BALCO said it was closing its aluminum plant in Korba, citing declining aluminum prices in the global market and rising coal and power costs in India,[10] but in April 2016 said it would restart production in July 2016, as global aluminum prices had rebounded.[11]

Chimney collapse: 2009

For more details, see 2009 Korba chimney collapse

A major accident occurred on the construction site on 23 September 2009. The project was under construction by Gannon Dunkerley & Company Limited (GDCL) for Shandong Electric Power Construction Corporation (Sepco), who themselves were under contract for the Bharat Aluminium Co Ltd (BALCO). Construction had reached 240 meters when the chimney collapsed on top of more than 100 workers who had been taking shelter from a thunderstorm. At least 45 deaths were recorded.[12][13][14]

Articles and Resources

References

  1. "Power," Vedanta Resources, accessed June 2016
  2. Bharat Aluminum Company, "Projects", Bharat Aluminum Company website, accessed February 2012
  3. Monthly Report on Broad Status of Thermal Power Projects in the Country, Central Electricity Authority, September 2012
  4. Monthly Report on Broad Status of Thermal Power Projects in the Country," Central Electricity Authority, August 2011, page 39
  5. "Balco's Korba power plant hits hurdle," Business Standard, December 21, 2012
  6. "BALCO gets nod for 1,200 MW power plant in Chhattisgarh," The Economic Times, Jan 16, 2015
  7. "Production Release for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year," PR Newswire, 31 March 2015
  8. "Monthly Report on Broad Status of Thermal Power Projects in the Country," India CEA, November 2015
  9. "Monthly Report on Broad Status of Thermal Power Projects in the Country," Government of India Ministry of Power, March 2016
  10. "BALCO to shut down aluminium rolling business," The Hindu, Sep 14, 2015
  11. "Balco to restart production at Korba rolling mill in July," The Hindu, Apr 19, 2016
  12. "Balco chimney mishap: Three Chinese officials arrested in Korba". The Hindustan Times. 2010-01-11. Archived from the original on 15 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-26. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (help)
  13. Anderlini, Jamil (2009-09-29). "India questions Sepco staff over chimney collapse". The Financial Times. Archived from the original on 3 October 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-29. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (help)
  14. "25 die in accident at BALCO's new plant at Korba". Business Standard. 2009-09-24. Retrieved 2009-09-24. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

Additional data

To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.