Jindal Steel & Power (JSPL) on Tuesday laid foundation for its 1,320-Mw captive power plant in Jharkhand?s Godda district, which would support energy needs of the company’s steel plants of 6 million tonne per annum capacity each in Patratu and Asanboni districts. The super critical thermal power plant with two units of 660 Mw each, will see an estimated investment of R8500 crore. The foundation stone was laid by President Pranab Mukherjee.
JSPL chairman Naveen Jindal said, ?We would require about 1,200 acres of land for the project. We are starting the work as we have already acquired about 50% of the required land. There has been 100% consent from the land owners so far. It will take three and half years to build the plant.? The company plans to invest around R75,000 crores for setting up three power plants of 2,712 MW total capacity and two steel plants that would produce of 6 million tonnes per annum.
For the Godda plant, the company would source coal partly from its Jitpur block, which is situated 10 kms away from the project site. Other part of the fuel would be sourced from government coal blocks, for which the company has applied for linkages. ?About 50%-60% of the power would be used by our steel plants and the surplus would be sold to the state electricity boards. The Jitpur block has reserves of 65 million tonnes. We are in the process of acquiring the land there,? Jindal added. However, JSPL plans to start mining in their Jitpur coal block in the next 6-8 months.
?The Jitpur land acquisition is in process. We are waiting for stage-II forest clearances and we hope to get mining lease signed within 6-8 months. Any surplus production of coal from the block will be sold to Coal India,? managing director and chief executive officer Ravi Uppal said.
