NLC India Ltd (NLCIL) has commenced commercial operation of Unit 2 of the Neyveli New Thermal Power Project (NNTPP) (2x500 MW) after successful completion of a trial operation of 72 hours, at its rated capacity.
The commercial operation was declared on Wednesday.
According to an NLCIL official, “The NNTPP replaces the 600 MW Neyveli First Thermal Power Station (TPS-I) with additional capacity of 400 MW, which was decommissioned on September 30, 2020. The TPS I commenced operations in 1962 and is South Asia’s first and only lignite-fired Thermal Power Station. The TPS-I plant generated a total of 1,85,390 million units (MU) since its inception and the Units of TPS-I have clocked a total service of 32,66,140 hours,” he said.
The commercial operation of Unit I of NNTPP was declared on December 28, 2019. With both units under commercial operation, NNTPP has now transformed from project stage to a full-fledged thermal power station.
NLCIL said that the 500 MW lignite-fired boilers in NNTPP are the first of their kind in the country and designed for 100% ash utilisation, the official added.
With the commissioning of the two units, the total installed capacity of NLCIL and its subsidiaries has increased to 4,640 MW and the total generating capacity, including renewable energy to 6,061 MW.
