Salora power station

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Salora power station is an operating power station of at least 135-megawatts (MW) in Salora, Katghora, Korba, Chhattisgarh, India with multiple units, some of which are not currently operating.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Plant name	Location	Coordinates (WGS 84)
Salora power station	Salora, Katghora, Korba, Chhattisgarh, India	22.489952, 82.606239 (exact)

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

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Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):

• Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5: 22.489952, 82.606239

Project Details

Table 2: Unit-level details

Unit name	Status	Fuel(s)	Capacity (MW)	Technology	Start year
Unit 1	operating	coal: bituminous	135	subcritical	2015
Unit 2	cancelled	coal: bituminous	135	subcritical	–
Unit 3	cancelled	coal: bituminous	270	subcritical	–
Unit 4	cancelled	coal: bituminous	660	unknown	–
Unit 5	cancelled	coal: bituminous	660	unknown	–

Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details

Unit name	Owner	Parent
Unit 1	Vandana Vidhyut Ltd [100%]	Vandanaa Group
Unit 2	Vandana Vidhyut Ltd [100%]	Vandanaa Group
Unit 3	Vandana Vidhyut Ltd [100%]	Vandanaa Group
Unit 4	Vandana Vidhyut Ltd [100%]	Vandanaa Group
Unit 5	Vandana Vidhyut Ltd [100%]	Vandanaa Group

Project-level coal details

• Coal source(s): Fatehpur East Coal Block

Background

Unit 1 (135 MW) was commissioned on April 10, 2014.

Unit 2 delay

Unit 2 (135 MW) was planned for commissioning in September 2015, and was reported commissioned in December 2015 by the India Ministry of Power, although the India government later reported in July 2016 the unit was synchronized in August 2015 but had yet to be commissioned.

In May 2017, the unit was reported as delayed with commissioning date uncertain. The reasons for the delay read as follows in the Ministry of Power's monthly broad status report: "Delay due to supply of boiler material & CHP material by M/s Cethar Vessels Ltd.and delay in getting of startup power. Delay due to agitation by the villagers at project site."

In 2021, government documents noted the following about the unit: "Liquidation Order date 16.12.2019; The Liquidator is under process and making efforts for sale of the Thermal Power Plant." The November 2023 Broad Status report noted that the liquidator successfully sold the assets.

Units 3-5 cancelled

Unit 3 (270 MW) was scheduled for September 2017, and Unit 4 (660 MW) was scheduled for September 2020, but neither were included in a March 2016 India government list of upcoming coal plants, nor the July 2016 list. It appeared that the two units were abandoned.

Unit 5 (660 MW), which was previously included in future plans, was also no longer mentioned on the company website.

Liquidation

In April 2018, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Cuttack Bench, initiated the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process for the Company. However, as there was no Resolution in sight, the NCLT, Cuttack Bench ordered for liquidation of the Company in December 2019.

An Expression of Interest document summarized the following:

"At the time when the project was under implementation, all the major requirement for the project like Coal, Corridor and PPA was available with the company. i.e. The Ministry of Coal had allotted Fatehpur East Captive Coal Block (jointly) to the company and also granted tapering coal linkage for 2x135 MW capacity. The State Government had executed long term (20 yrs.) Power Purchase Agreement for 35% of the Capacity of the project and the Bulk Power Transmission Agreement (BPTA) was signed with Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL) for evacuation of Power. The power transmission corridor was also available for the power evacuation, when the project was under implementation."

"However, pursuant to the cancellation of the allotted captive coal block by Ministry of Coal, Government of India, cancellation of the tapering coal linkage by Coal India Limited, the Long-Term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Chattisgarh State Government, the corridor constraint for evacuation of power to the power deficit states like Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu etc. the Thermal Power Plant was shut down in 2015 and since then it is not operational."

The November 2022 Broad Status Report provided the following update: "The Liquidator has sold the assets of the project on Slump Sale basis."

Liquidation details: https://insolvencyandbankruptcy.in/public-announcement/vandana-vidhyut-limited/

According to reported lists of thermal power stations in 2022 and early 2023, the single 135 MW unit appeared to still be operational.

Financing

• Source of financing: US$201,032,123 in debt from unknown sources

It has been reported that Vandana Vidhyut received Rs 1,488 crore in loans for the construction of units 1-4; however, the source of the funding is not known.

Unit 1 Commissioning Delays

Although Unit 1 was synchronized in 2013 and commissioned in 2014, it has experienced multiple technical and regulatory issues. For example, the Broad Status Report reported said commissioning was delayed due to "agitation by villagers at site" and that other operational issues were complex and interrelated:

Unit Synchronized on 04.09.13. Unit was under shutdown for attending various commissioning problems. On 28.02.14 M/s. Cethar Ltd again send a drawing for modification of the oil gun guide with lug support. The burner problem remains unsolved. The basic reason is that the burners are not supporting properly. As Full load /COD has not been achieved within six months of synchronization as per the regulations of Electricity Act-2003, now they have to get permission from CERC for connectivity and after which WRLDC will give permission for re-synchronization. CERC has given the permission to injection of infirm power to the Grid upto 11.04.14 vide their order dated 14.03.14. V V L has submitted the CERC order to WRLDC for permission to inject the infirm power to the grid on 18.03.14 and got the permission from WRLDC on 20.03.14. Now V V L is trying themselves for completing balance work as Cethar Ltd. is not cooperating.

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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.