Bhadradri power station
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Bhadradri power station is an operating power station of at least 1080-megawatts (MW) in Ramanujavaram, Manuguru, Khammam, Telangana, India. It is also known as Manuguru power station.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Bhadradri power station | Ramanujavaram, Manuguru, Khammam, Telangana, India | 18.027488, 80.735645 (exact) |
The map below shows the exact location of the power station.
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4: 18.027488, 80.735645
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | operating | coal: unknown | 270 | subcritical | 2020 |
| Unit 2 | operating | coal: unknown | 270 | subcritical | 2020 |
| Unit 3 | operating | coal: unknown | 270 | subcritical | 2021 |
| Unit 4 | operating | coal: unknown | 270 | subcritical | 2022 |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Telangana State Power Generation Corp Ltd [100%] | Telangana State Power Generation Corp Ltd [100.0%] |
| Unit 2 | Telangana State Power Generation Corp Ltd [100%] | Telangana State Power Generation Corp Ltd [100.0%] |
| Unit 3 | Telangana State Power Generation Corp Ltd [100%] | Telangana State Power Generation Corp Ltd [100.0%] |
| Unit 4 | Telangana State Power Generation Corp Ltd [100%] | Telangana State Power Generation Corp Ltd [100.0%] |
Project-level coal details
- Coal source(s): Imported - possibly 50% domestic
Background
In October 2014 the Telangana government entered into an agreement with BHEL for construction of new thermal power plants in the state of 6,000 MW capacities over the next three years, including the 1,080 MW Bhadradri power station. The Telangana government said the plant would be fast-tracked and built in two years. Land for all the projects will be provided by the Telangana government. Imported coal will be used as fuel.[1]
The project received a terms of reference on June 23, 2015.[2]
In December 2015 the National Green Tribunal (NGT) put a hold on the project pending resolution of a number of issues. These included the subcritical combustion technology and 270 MW size of the units, which violated new requirements by the Ministry of Power for supercritical technology and 500 MW capacity. In addition, the NGT questioned why the company had begun work on the project before final approval.[3]
In response to the hold, the Telegana government filed a review petition. The NGT lifted the stay and asked the MoEF to look into permit approval. In February 2017, the ministry cleared the project and said necessary orders will be issued in the next few days. Telangana State Power Generation Corporation Limited (TSGENCO) said the plant will be completed by 2018.[4]
Environmental clearance was awarded on March 15, 2017.[5] In September 2017 it was reported that civil works had begun on the foundation, chimneys, and cooling towers. Boiler construction had begun for unit 1. The expected commissioning date was still reported as 2018,[6] although this seems unlikely given the delays in permitting. In November 2017 the expected commissioning date was listed as 2019,[7] although this also seems unlikely.
In November 2017, it was reported that work was proceeding on a fast pace with 19 agencies employing 1,200 workers on the job. Companies included Siscon, Srusti, Bridge & Roop, Slipco, Srivijaya, BJCAL, PCPIL, Paharpur, Kaindwel, Santosh, PRVPR, Anstin, RG, and Kanwar Enterprises Ltd. Civil works were reported to be 95% complete on Unit 1, 50% complete on Unit 2, 70% complete for Unit 3, and 35% complete for Unit 4.[8]
According to the India Ministry of Power in April 2019, unit 1 is planned for commissioning at the end of 2019, and units 2-4 in 2020.[9]
Unit 1 was commissioned on March 20, 2020.[10] Unit 2 was commissioned in December 2020.[11] Unit 3 was commissioned in March 2021.[12] Unit 4 was commissioned on January 9, 2022.[13]
Financing
Three projects, the 800-MW project at KTPS, the 1,080-MW Bhadradri project, and the 4,400-MW project at Damaracherla, were given Rs240 billion (approximately US$3.8 billion) in funding by the Rural Electrification Corporation and Rs150 billion (approximately US$2.4 billion) by the Power Finance Corporation. Telangana State Generation Corporation also provided Rs30 billion (approximately US$480 million) in equity toward the three projects. However, there is no disaggregated information available about how much each individual project received.[14]
Opposition
Activists oppose the Bhadradri plant over concerns for social and environmental damage in the tribal-dominated, forested district of Khammam. They also claim the proposed technology for the power plant is not encouraged by the Ministry of Power. These reasons, plus the fact the the Telangana Power Corporation was beginning construction without an environmental clearance, caused the construction of the power plant to be called to a stop on December 15 by the National Green Tribunal. However, on December 24, 2015, visitors found workers still working at the plant site.[15]
In December 2015, the Human Rights Forum (HRF) filed a petition against the Bhadradri power plant project, claiming there were environmental violations by the company in charge of the power plant. The construction work was halted in December, subsequently, and the matter was posted for a further hearing on May 17, 2016.[16]
On February 4, 2017, despite opposition from civil rights groups over the construction of the Bhadradri power plant, the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Ministry of Forest and Environment (MoEF) recommended that the Bhadradri plant be granted environmental clearance.[17]
On July 25, 2019, the Forum for Good Governance (FGG) sought an inquiry and action against officials who chose outdated technology for the construction of the Bhadradri power plant. They claim this choice led to increased environmental pollution.[18]
In August 2020, the Forum for Good Governance submitted a memorandum to Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, urging her to publish a white paper on the Bhadradri power plant. The Forum claimed that “people of Telangana have a right to know what conspired between Genco and BHEL in going for an outdated technology.”[19]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ "Telangana and BHEL sign MoU for power generation," The Hindu, Oct 4, 2014
- ↑ Terms of reference, India MoEF, June 23, 2015
- ↑ Swathi Vadlamudi, "NGT for status quo on Bhadradri power station," The Hindu, May 10, 2016
- ↑ "Telangana's Bhadradri thermal power plant gets nod from Centre," Deccan Chronicle, Feb 5, 2017
- ↑ Environmental clearance, India MoEF, March 15, 2017
- ↑ “Broad Status of Thermal Power Projects in the Country,” India Ministry of Power, Sep 2017
- ↑ "Monthly Report on Broad Status of Thermal Power Projects in the Country," Government of India Ministry of Power, November 2017
- ↑ "Bhadradri thermal plant works at a brisk pace," The Hans India, 14 November 2017
- ↑ "Monthly Report on Broad Status of Thermal Power Projects in the Country," Government of India Ministry of Power, April 2019
- ↑ India Broad Status, India CEA, April 2020
- ↑ India Broad Status, India CEA, December 2020
- ↑ India Broad Status, India CEA, March 2021
- ↑ "TSGenco completes BTPS with commercial operation of fourth unit," The Hindu, January 9, 2022
- ↑ Reporter, B. S. (2015-03-22). "REC to grant Rs 24,000 cr for power projects in Telangana". Business Standard India. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
- ↑ “How Telangana is breaking the law to build a power project”, Scroll.in, December 28, 2015.
- ↑ “NGT for status quo on Bhadradri power station”, The Hindu News, May 10, 2016.
- ↑ “Proposed Bhadradri thermal plant in Khammam gets environmental clearance”, The New Indian Express, February 5, 2017.
- ↑ “Telangana: Forum for Good Governance seeks probe in use of ‘outdated’ tech in Bhadradri power plant”, The New Indian Express, July 26, 2019.
- ↑ “Delay pushes up Bhadradri plant cost by Rs 1,000 crore”, The Times of India, August 9, 2020.
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.
