The Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) will add 1,000 MW of power to the regional grid during the current financial year, said its Chairman and Managing Director A.R. Ansari on Monday.
Addressing newsmen, he said that the Corporation was on the verge of commissioning unit one of Thermal Power Station-II of 250 MW plant at Neyveli, followed by the second unit in December.
The first unit of 500 MW plant of Tuticorin, a joint venture of NLC and Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation, would be commissioned during 2012-13 and the second unit by 2013-14.
Mr. Ansari said that the plan of the NLC was to add 15,000 MW of power by 2020 at an investment of around Rs.90,000 crore, of which 30 per cent would come as equity from NLC.
About 80 per cent of the projects were coal based and NLC was scouting for coal mines in Australia.
Future plans
The future plans included a coal-based power plant in Uttar Pradesh [as a joint venture with Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidhyut Utpadan Nigam]; a coastal coal based power plant in Sirkazhi and another plant in Orissa, each having the capacity of 4,000 MW.
Among other projects were 250 MW mine-cum-thermal power station at Bithnok, Rajasthan; 250 MW Hadla and Palana lignite mine cum Barsingsar extension power project in Rajasthan; Devangudi mine project in Neyveli region and solar and wind power projects of 75 MW. Besides, NLC would restructure mine-1 and mine 1A.
Regarding the Sirkazhi project, he said, “Obtaining in-principle approval and awarding the contract will be done by 2013-14. Thereafter, it would take at least 42 months to commission the first unit and 46 months for the second unit. That's why we have set the target date as 2020.”
8.7 per cent growth
For 2011-2012, NLC posted a 8.7 per cent growth in its net profit at Rs.1,411.33 crore against Rs.1,298.33 crore reported for the corresponding period last year.
The total power generation from all the thermal power stations put together was 18,788.59 million units (MU).
While stating that the Corporation had posted all round growth in fiscal and financial parameters for 2011-2012, he said that lignite production went up by 6.25 per cent and power generation by 5.08 per cent in 2011-12.
The capacity addition during the year was 250 MW.
Contract workers' demands
Regarding the demands raised by the contract workers, he contended that the workers had breached an agreement that they had signed with the management in Chennai two years ago in the presence of Regional Labour Commissioner.
Some of their demands could not be solved by NLC as the matter was pending before the Supreme Court. However, Mr. Ansari said that NLC had posted good performance owing to the employee's hard work.
