Nitish reviews progress of Nabinagar power project

The Dollar Business Bureau

Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday reviewed the progress of Nabinagar power project, currently being developed by National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) in Aurangabad district.

The Chief Minister was on his two-day visit to the district on June18-19. He took stock of the ongoing construction, and expressed satisfaction on the current stage of project development.

NPGCL, a joint venture firm between NTPC and Bihar State Power (Holding) Company Ltd. is developing a 3300 MW power project (5X660 MW) near Majhiyan and Ankorha railway station in Aurangabad.

The government has given its principle nod to set up a sixth unit of 660 MW, which will take the overall project capacity to 3960 MW. Three units, each of 660 MW, would be set up in two phases. Three units of 660 MW in Stage-II are planning to be developed as 800 MW units, based on super critical technology.

The first unit of 660 MW in stage-I of NPGCL is expected to be synchronised by March 2017, while the other two units of 660 MW is to be synchronised by September 2017 and March 2017. A formal approval from the Centre is still awaited. The state may get 69% share i.e. Bihar's share will receive 1373 MW of the total 1980 MW of Stage-I.

Last year, shares of NTPC had increased more than 3% after the company announced building of a township near its super thermal power project in Nabinagar.  

Many senior officials took part in a review meeting. Some of them included the NTPC Project Director S C Pandey, NPGCL Energy Department's Principal Secretary Pratyaya Amrit, Energy Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav and Nabinagar CEO M P Sinha.