By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, December 14, 2016 : Indian government owned NTPC Ltd will invest Rs 2648 crore for developing three coal blocks in Odisha where the Maharatna public sector undertaking (PSU) has an investment portfolio of Rs 38,189 crore on multiple projects.

The shall invest Rs 684 crore in the Dulanga coal block, which is linked to its Dariplalli super thermal power project with a capacity to generate 1,600 mega watt [MW] of power. The power project to come up in Sundargarh district will entail an investment of Rs 12,532 crore.

NTPC has already invested Rs 4,000 crore on the Darlipalli project. Fifty per cent of the power generated at this plant will by supplied to the state to meet its energy demands

“The first unit of the Darlipalli plant, which has the capacity to generate 800 MW of power, is expected to be set up by February in 2018. Commercial operations would take off from August”, regional executive director (East-II), NTPC Ltd. Arvind Kumar told media persons. .

NTPC also has been allocated the Mandakini-B coal block last year to help fuel its first 4,000-Mw power plant in Telangana. The Mandakini block will be developed with an investment of Rs 1,500 crore.

NTPC has already signed a joint venture (JV) with the Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation Ltd (JKSPDCL) to form a JV company for mining at the Kudanali-Luburi coal block, where Rs 500 crore will be invested for development purposes.

NTPC also plans to set up a 400 MW solar power project with a total investment of Rs 2,200 crore. The solar generation capacity may even shoot up to 1,000 MW depending on the availability of land, said Kumar.

NTPC aims to increase power generation capacity to 75,000 MW by 2025 and continue producing more thereafter.

NTPC also plans to scale up production from 120 MW to 370 MW at its joint venture captive power plant at the Rourkela steel unit. This would require a fresh investment of Rs 1,885 crore.