Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) has drawn a roadmap for doubling power generation capacity to 14,000 MW by ramping up both thermal power and renewable energy at an estimated investment of ₹50,000 crore over the next seven-to-eight years.
It currently has a total generation capacity of 6,901 MW, which includes 6750 MW of thermal power across seven generating stations, 147.2 MW hydel power and 3.82 MW of rooftop solar project.
It plans to invest close to ₹30,000 crore for ramping up its thermal power capacity by nearly 54 per cent to 1,0621 MW in the next seven-to-eight years. It is also looking to add an additional 3,700 MW through renewable energy including solar PV plant and pumped storage projects through JV partners at an estimated investment of close to ₹20,000 crore.
According to Ram Naresh Singh, Chairman, DVC, the thermal power capacity addition would be through brownfield expansion at its existing units at Raghunathpur and Durgapur in West Bengal and Koderma in Jharkhand. The expansion would be undertaken on a phase-wise basis.
It is looking to add 2X660 MW at Raghunathpur Thermal Power Station (RTPS) at an estimated investment of close to Rs 9089 crore. This is likely to become operational by FY-27. It is also planning to add a 800 MW super critical unit at DTPS (Durgapur Thermal Power Plant) at an estimated investment of Rs 6630 crore. This is likely to become operational by FY-28.
This apart, it is planning to add 2X800 MW unit at KTPS (Koderma Thermal Power Station) entailing an investment of around Rs 12,276 crore. This is likely to come up by FY30.
“For the ₹30,000 crore investments, we are looking at equity investment of around 30 per cent while the remaining 70 per cent would be funded through debt. This translates into an investment of around Rs 1000-1200 crore a year for the next eight-to-nine years and we can easily do that through internal accruals,” Singh told newspersons at a press conference here on Monday.
DVC is also exploring new coal blocks for supporting upcoming thermal power projects and minimise generation cost.
Renewable energy
DVC proposes to add 2150MW in solar and 2100 MW in two pumped storage projects entailing a total investment of Rs 20,000 crore. These projects would be executed through joint ventures with state-owned companies such as NTPC, SJVN Ltd and NHPC Ltd.
A 1500MW pumped storage project is lined up in Jharkhand at Lagu Pahaar, another 600MW pumped storage has been proposed in West Bengal Purulia district.
While the thermal projects would be executed by DVC, the major solar and pumped storage projects would be done through joint ventures which would help it to reduce burden on its balance-sheet, he said.
DVC is also actively considering generating toward green hydrogen and was working with World Bank for a 5MW pilot project. It is also creating electric vehicle charging infrastructure in a small way, he said.