2 months ago
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To support dependable basal load power, which star and upwind unsocial cannot provide, the Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation Limited (APGenco) has planned to acceptable up 2 ultra mega supercritical thermal powerfulness plants of 3,200 MW capableness each aft the status of obsolete units astatine its thermal powerfulness plants successful the coming years. One works is projected successful Srikakulam territory and the other, a pit-head station, astatine Talcher successful Odisha.
According to highly placed sources successful the Energy Department, the feasibility of the projected thermal powerfulness plants is being examined. As a archetypal step, the State inferior is apt to signifier a associated task with Coal India Limited for mounting up 1 of the projects, and negotiations successful this respect are learnt to beryllium nether way. However, the Genco whitethorn yet settee for lone 1 task owed to outgo considerations and different factors.
Once the projects instrumentality shape, the caller thermal plants volition assistance stabilise the grid by providing the required basal load earlier the aged units are unopen down successful compliance with contamination norms.
The plants volition besides person the vantage of optimising ember costs and proscription arsenic they volition beryllium located adjacent to the precocious people Talcher ember mines of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited successful Odisha.
At present, the AP Genco is contributing up to 55% of the grid’s powerfulness requirement, with a full thermal procreation capableness of 4,210 MW.
As per the Ministry of Power norms, thermal units older than 40 years volition beryllium phased retired first, followed by those older than 25 years. Of the 3 Genco-owned thermal plants successful the State, the Dr. Narla Tatarao Thermal Power Station adjacent Vijayawada has 2 units of 210 MW each that are implicit 45 years aged and 4 units of the aforesaid capableness that are much than 30 years old.
However, the Ministry of Power precocious instructed the Energy Department, arsenic a argumentation measure, not to discontinue immoderate thermal units until 2030 and alternatively undertake renovation and modernisation works to widen their operational life.
In presumption of the agelong gestation play required for adding caller thermal capableness and the impending status of aged plants, it has been considered prudent to proceed operating the existing businesslike units by taking renovation and modernisation measures for the clip being.
A elder Genco authoritative told The Hindu that the Government of India has slowed down the status of aged thermal plants to guarantee grid stableness arsenic renewable vigor integration is being scaled up gradually. Keeping aboriginal powerfulness needs successful view, the Genco has conceived the caller projects, but they are presently astatine the signifier of cost-benefit analysis.
