DVC to expand Thermal Power Plant capacity in West Bengal: R N Singh
By PIB Kolkata
Kolkata; July 18, 2022
Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) the first multipurpose river valley project of India is
aiming at expansion of Thermal Power Plants in West Bengal to add about 1000 MW
capacity. One such expansion work is going on at Raghunathpur in Purulia district where the
capacity of the plant will be expanded from existing 1200 MW to 1320 MW. The second
expansion work is being carried out in Durgapur Old Plant, where 800 MW Super Critical
Unit will be set up. All these expansions will complete by 2030 at an estimated cost of Rs.
15,000 crore. In order to cater to the enhanced power demand in near future in the county,
DVC will augment capacity by setting up new fossil fuel based power plants in its coal rich
areas and also to install non-fossil based plants in large scale to achieve good energy mix
towards supply of clean and affordable power to all, Shri Ram Naresh Singh, the Chairman,
DVC said. DVC is also exploring new coal blocks for supporting upcoming thermal power
projects and to minimise cost. DVC has all the required resources, especially water supply, to
generate green hydrogen through electrolysers. It also has existing client base such as Steel
manufacturers, which require hydrogen for the production of Steel. Besides, there is a huge
potential in near future, for the hydrogen as fuel in transport sector. It may also eye at
generating 100 tons of green hydrogen per day by 2030, Shri Singh added.
DVC is also making effort to popularise four reservoirs of Hydel stations as tourist
destination. Maithon has already become a place of tourist attraction and so the authority is
planning to popularise other places like Panchet, Konar and Tilaiya as well as augmenting
tourist amenities at Maithon. Theme parks, standard guest houses/resorts, picnic spots and
viewpoints will be developed while light and sound show and laser show will be arranged to
attract tourists.
