Coal India plans to foray into power generation

Nagpur, Oct 31 (UNI) Public-sector behemoth Coal India Limited (CIL) now plans to foray into power generation by setting up at least two super thermal power plants soon.

Speaking to newsmen here, Minister for Coal Shibu Soren said the plants with an installed capacity of at least 1,000 MW each would be set up by CIL subsidiaries Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL) and South-eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL). Though the sites have not yet been finalised, the power plants would be set up as joint ventures with another CIL subsidiary Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited, because it had the necessary expertise, he said.

Another plant was likely to be set up by Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), Soren said. Although it had been decided to set up only super thermal power stations, smaller plants would be set up at places where the quantity of available coal was lesser, he said.

CIL and it's subsidiaries, the Singrauli-based NCL, Sambalpur-based MCL, Ranchi-based Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) and Nagpur-based Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) would also undertake an expansion drive, Soren added.

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