North Chennai Thermal Power Station
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North Chennai Thermal Power Station is an operating power station of at least 1830-megawatts (MW) in Ennore & Puzhudivakkam, Penneri, Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu, India with multiple units, some of which are not currently operating.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| North Chennai Thermal Power Station | Ennore & Puzhudivakkam, Penneri, Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu, India | 13.253013, 80.327804 (exact) |
The map below shows the exact location of the power station.
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- Stage I Unit 1, Stage I Unit 2, Stage I Unit 3, Stage II Unit 1, Stage II Unit 2, Stage III: 13.253013, 80.327804
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stage I Unit 1 | operating | coal: bituminous | 210 | subcritical | 1994 |
| Stage I Unit 2 | operating | coal: bituminous | 210 | subcritical | 1995 |
| Stage I Unit 3 | operating | coal: bituminous | 210 | subcritical | 1996 |
| Stage II Unit 1 | operating | coal: bituminous | 600 | subcritical | 2013 |
| Stage II Unit 2 | operating | coal: bituminous | 600 | subcritical | 2013 |
| Stage III | construction | coal: unknown | 800 | unknown | 2024 (planned)[1] |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Stage I Unit 1 | Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Co Ltd [100%] | TNEB Ltd |
| Stage I Unit 2 | Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Co Ltd [100%] | TNEB Ltd |
| Stage I Unit 3 | Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Co Ltd [100%] | TNEB Ltd |
| Stage II Unit 1 | Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Co Ltd [100%] | TNEB Ltd |
| Stage II Unit 2 | Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Co Ltd [100%] | TNEB Ltd |
| Stage III | Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Co Ltd [100%] | TNEB Ltd |
Financing
Source of financing: phase III: US$965 million in debt from Rural Electrification Corporation[2]
Background
Stage I
The power station originally comprised of three 210 megawatt coal-fired units with which were commissioned between 1994 and 1996.[3]
Stage II
Two 600 MW units (Stage II) were added to the power station in 2013.[4]
Stage III
Tamil Nadu Generation & Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) applied for a terms of reference for another 800 MW unit (Stage III) in 2012,[5] with a proposed completion date of December 2017.[6]
As of August 2014, the company reported that "various studies for obtaining EC are underway."[7] An environmental impact assessment (EIA) was submitted in May 2015.[8] and environmental clearance was granted in January 2016.[9]
According to the India CEA (October 2016), initial preparatory work toward construction was underway.[10] However, as of March 2017, full-scale construction did not appear to have begun.[11] In September 2017, it was reported that boiler erection works had begun in August 2017, and construction of the compound wall for the project was under progress.[12]
In November 2021 (17th Meeting), the Re-Constituted Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for Thermal Power observed that the company needed to obtain an amended Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance for the unit from the government, as directed by a committee formed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).[13] (More information about this development is described under the Ennore SEZ Super Critical Thermal Power Project (Vayalur) wiki.)
In November 2022, it was reported that the unit was expected to be commissioned in December 2022. However, the November 2022 Broad Status Report set the commissioning date out to March 2023.[14]
The May 2023 Broad Status report predicted the unit to be commissioned in October 2023.[15]
In August 2023, TANGEDCO requested an amendment to their environmental clearance and CRZ clearance for "laying of ash slurry and recovery water pipelines" at the Stage III site. In September 2023, the EAC deferred TANGEDCO's proposal, stating that the company had not yet submitted their latest certified compliance report, a marine EIA, or proof of payment for a fine imposed by the NGT.[16] Again in November 2023, the EAC deferred a proposal for amendments to the EC of Phase III.[17]
The November 2023 Broad Status report pushed back the commissioning to February 2024.[18] The report also noted that as the works on the FGD unit were initial stage, the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) and the Central Government have been address to give consent to commissioning the plant without the FGD unit.[19]
According to the April 2024 Broad Status report, Unit 1 of Stage III was expected to run trials and be commissioned in May 2024.[20] Construction of the unit was 96% complete at the time of reporting.
In June 2024, TANGEDCO reportedly sought an amendment to North Chennai Thermal Power Station Stage III's environmental clearance (EC). The change would allow the company to switch from 100% imported coal to a 50/50 mix of imported and domestic coal.[21] Later in the month, the Expert Appraisal Committee recommended the amendment to the EC.[22]
Coal supply
Coal for the power station is supplied from Mahanadhi Coalfields Limited (Talchar & IB Valley) in Orissa and Eastern Coalfields Limited at Ranikanj in West Bengal.[23]
TANGEDCO consumes approximately 16 million tonnes of coal a year in its existing coal-fired power stations. Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd. and Eastern Coalfields Ltd. supply 13.5 Million tonnes per annum with the remainder "mainly" imported from Indonesia. The coal is transported by rail from the coal mines to the loading ports namely Haldia, Paradip and Vizag and discharged at Ennore Port and Tuticorin Port. Coal for the North Chennai Thermal Power Station is carried via a conveyer belt from the adjoining Ennore port.[24]
Environmental impacts
A 2014 study of coal plants in Southeast India documented extensive environmental impacts from the North Chennai Thermal Power Station, including dumping of large quantities of coal combustion waste into the Buckingham Canal and in nearby marshlands, leaking ash ponds, and discharge of hot water into Ennore Creek. The impacts have been especially felt by local fishing communities, which have protested the expansion of the plant. Additional impacts have been caused by dredging associated with Ennore Port, which supplies coal to the plant.[25] Environmental activists were demanding that construction on the third phase of the North Chennai Thermal Power Station in Ennore be halted since there is a wide variety of wildlife within the area of the plant that is at risk from continued construction. It was planned for 2019-2020 at the time.[26]
Financing for Phase III
India's Rural Electrification Corporation provided Rs 68.9 billion (approx. US$965 million) in loans to Tangedco to set up the power plant and two substations of 765KV and 400KV capacity in and around Chennai.[2] Financial closure was reached on January 28, 2017.[27]
Contact details
North Chennai T.P.S,
Athipattu,
Chennai,
Thiruvallur (District)
PIN:600120.
Phone No. 044-27950061
Fax No. 044-27950074
e mail : cenctps AT tnebnet.org
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20240218232421/https://cea.nic.in/wp-content/uploads/thermal_broad/2023/11/BS_Nov_2023_V1.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2024.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Tamil Nadu to get 1st 800MW thermal plant," Times of India, Feb 1, 2017
- ↑ TamilNadu Electricity Board, "Thermal Power Stations", TamilNadu Electricity Board website, accessed June 2010
- ↑ Monthly Report on Broad Status of Thermal Power Projects in the Country, Central Electricity Authority, September 2013
- ↑ Terms of Reference, India MoEF, May 28, 2012
- ↑ List of proposed coal plants, tangedco, March 5, 2014
- ↑ "New Thermal," TANGEDCO website, accessed August 2014
- ↑ "EIA," TANGEDCO, May 2015
- ↑ Environmental Clearance, India MoEF, January 20, 2016
- ↑ "Monthly Report on Broad Status of Thermal Power Projects in the Country," Government of India Ministry of Power, October 2016
- ↑ "Broad Status Report," India Central Electrical Authority, March 2017
- ↑ "Broad Status Report," India Central Electrical Authority, September 2017
- ↑ "Minutes of the 17th Meeting of the Re-Constituted Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of Thermal Power Projects Held on 30th November, 2021," Expert Appraisal Committee, November 30, 2021
- ↑ “Broad Status Report of Under Construction Thermal Power Projects,” India Central Electricity Authority, November 2022
- ↑ Broad Status Report of Under Construction Thermal Power Projects, Central Electricity Authority, Government of India, May 2023
- ↑ "Minutes of 46th Meeting of the Re-Constituted Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC), River Valley and Hydroelectric Projects held from 04/09/2023 to 04/09/2023," India Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, October 10, 2023
- ↑ Minutes of 02ND Meeting of the Re-Constituted Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) meeting - Thermal Projects held from 31/10/2023 to 01/11/2023, MoEFCC, November 15, 2023
- ↑ "Broad Status Report of Under Construction Thermal Power Projects" (PDF). Central Electricity Authority. November 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Broad Status Report of Under Construction Thermal Power Projects" (PDF). Central Electricity Authority. November 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Broad Status Report of Under Construction Thermal Power Projects (April, 2024), Central Electricity Authority, April 2024
- ↑ Equal use of domestic and imported coal: TANGEDCO seeks amendment to environmental clearance for NCTPS III plant, DT Next, June 9, 2024
- ↑ "Minutes of AGENDA FOR 11TH MEETING OF THE EXPERT APPRAISAL COMMITTEE (EAC) (THERMAL POWER PROJECTS) TO BE HELD ON 27TH – 28TH JUNE, 2024 meeting Thermal Projects held from 27/06/2024 to 28/06/2024," India Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, July 16, 2024
- ↑ Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation, "North Chennai Thermal Power Station," Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation website, accessed December 2011
- ↑ TANGEDCO, "Arrangement of coal to meet the requirement of the thermal power stations of TANGEDCO," TANGEDCO website, accessed December 2011
- ↑ Jinda Sandbhor and Shripad Dharmadhikary, "Impacts of Coastal Coal Based Thermal Power Plants on Water Report of Visit to Some Operational and In Pipeline Plants in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, Manthan Adhyayan Kendra, July 2014
- ↑ "Eco-activists find wildlife in North Chennai power plant," thenewsminute.com, November 19, 2016
- ↑ REC Gives Rs. 6890 Crore Assistance toTamil Nadu, Rural Electrification Corporation, February 8, 2017
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.
